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Dig Panici/Lisa Panici Background
 
The No. 9 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team extended its win streak to 14 matches Friday night with a 25-9, 25-22, 25-16 triumph against Cornell (Iowa) on Dig Panici Night at Russell Arena.
 
The Warhawks (22-1 overall), who also improved to 14-0 in home matches this season, limited the Rams to a .012 hitting percentage and held advantages in service aces (10-1) and blocks (9-4).
 
Jenna Weinfurt (Waukesha, Wis./Catholic Memorial) tallied a team-high 11 kills and added two digs and two blocks. Erin McNeil (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) posted six kills and one block, and Morgan Wardall (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) collected five kills and a team-high five blocks.
 
Kirsten Anderson (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) finished with three kills and four blocks, while Emma Aske (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) totaled five kills, a team-best 11 digs and one block. Baylie Hansen (Bonduel, Wis./Shawano) added three kills and three blocks.
 
KellyAnn Sotiros (New Berlin, Wis./West Allis Hale) and Paige Manssen (Bull Valley, Ill./McHenry West) each registered 13 assists. Manssen added a team-high six service aces and eight digs, while Sotiros recorded three digs and one ace.
 
Morgan Jensen (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) amassed 10 digs, four assists and two aces.
 
UW-Whitewater led the first set 7-1 and, after a long run on Manssen's serve, held a 17-5 advantage. UW-W cruised from there as Aske ended the period with a kill.
 
The Warhawks started strong again in the second, jumping out to a 17-12 lead. Cornell (15-9) closed to within two points on four different occasions before UW-W was able to close out the set.
 
UW-Whitewater followed suit in the third set with another large lead early at 12-4. The Rams got as close as four at 17-13, but Manssen served the team to four straight points. Emily Gillen (Richfield, Wis./Slinger) closed out the match with a kill.
 
Prior to the contest, head coach Stacy Boudreau and the Warhawks recognized Mary and Mike Panici, parents of former Warhawk Lisa Panici, who passed away in 2012 after a battle against brain cancer. The couple set up a scholarship fund in Lisa's name for a UW-Whitewater student who is challenged by a disability.
 
All proceeds from Dig Panici t-shirt sales and donations from Friday's event benefit the Lisa Panici Scholarship Fund.
 
UW-Whitewater continues the two-day Dig Panici Classic tournament tomorrow with a match against Wheaton (Ill.) at 5 p.m. at Russell Arena.