The No. 19 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team produced in key moments to overcome three tightly-contested sets Wednesday night in a 29-27, 26-24, 25-22 victory against Elmhurst (Ill.) in a non-conference contest at Russell Arena.
 
The Warhawks (3-0 overall) held the Bluejays to a .126 hitting percentage while hitting nearly 60 percentage points better on offense.
 
Erin McNeil (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) and Jenna Weinfurt (Waukesha, Wis./Catholic Memorial) tallied 10 kills apiece to lead the UW-Whitewater offense. McNeil added three blocks, while Weinfurt collected two blocks.
 
Kirsten Anderson (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) registered eight kills on a .412 hitting percentage and added three blocks, while Emma Aske (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) finished with four kills, eight digs and three blocks. Morgan Wardall (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) posted six kills and four blocks, and Baylie Hansen (Bonduel, Wis./Shawano) totaled six kills.
 
Paige Manssen (Bull Valley, Ill./McHenry West) and KellyAnn Sotiros (New Berlin, Wis./West Allis Hale) contributed 19 and 17 assists, respectively. Manssen added nine digs and two service aces. Morgan Jensen (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) led the defense with 24 digs.
 
Elmhurst (1-3) led 15-7 in the opening set before the Warhawks stormed back, tallying 10 of the next 12 points to tie the set at 17-17. UW-W thwarted three straight set points to tie it at 24-24, and the two teams exchanged points until Wardall and Aske ended the set with back-to-back kills.
 
The Bluejays took another large lead in the second set, and UW-Whitewater mounted another comeback to take at 2-0 match advantage. Elmhurst led 14-9 and, at 23-21, the Warhawks rallied for three straight points to take a 24-23 advantage.
 
The Bluejays tied the set on the next point, but consecutive kills by McNeil sent the match into the third set.
 
UW-W jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the third and didn't look back, holding Elmhurst to a .045 hitting percentage in the period.
 
The Warhawks continue action this Saturday at the Carthage College Invitational. The team faces Bethel (Minn.) at 2 p.m. before taking on fifth-ranked Carthage at 4 p.m. in Kenosha.