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The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's volleyball team punched their ticket into the NCAA Division III Regional Championship match with a 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18) win over Gustavus Adolphus College in the St. Paul, Minnesota regional hosted by the University of Northwestern (MN). 

UWW will face the winner of the host and UW-Stevens Point in the Regional Championship Saturday at 5 p.m. 

The Warhawks opened a 14-8 advantage in the first set with Emma Bludgen (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) at the service line bolstering the run with a pair of aces. The Gusties battled back to within one, 14-13, before another Warhawk run made it 22-16. GAC rattled off six of the next seven to again pull within one, 23-22. The teams traded points with a Gustie miscue providing the final point of the first set for a Warhawk win. 

UW-Whitewater struggled offensively in the second set hammering down 15 kills but committing 10 errors. GAC was more efficient and evened the match 1-1 winning the set 25-22. 

Gustavus Adolphus jumped out to a 4-1 lead in set three. UWW battled back to knot the set at 9-9 and eventually claimed the lead 17-15. Following a three-point Gustie run, the Warhawks responded with a five-point spurt, once again with Bludgen at the service line, to open up a 22-18 advantage. UWW took a 2-1 lead in the match winning the set 25-20. 

The Warhawks mounted a fantastic comeback in the fourth set trailing by five early. A five point swing tied the set at 11. UWW eventually took the lead and extended the gap to 18-15. They scored seven of the next 10 for the set and match win with Jenna Weinfurt (Waukesha, Wis./Catholic Memorial) hammering down the kill for the final point. 

Weinfurt led all players with 23 kills hitting .353 in the match. Allyson Warburton (St. Charles, Ill./North) and Kirsten Anderson (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) joined Weinfurt in double figures with 11 and 10 respectively. Weinfurt and Bludgen each added four aces on the night. Anderson was big at the net defensively as well with seven blocks in the match. Libero Morgan Jensen (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) tallied a season-high 26 digs while KellyAnn Sotiros (New Berlin, Wis./West Allis Hale) dished out 31 assists and Bludgen added 15.

The other semifinal featuring UNW and UW-Stevens Point was scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday. The winner advances to play UW-Whitewater in the championship.