The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball topped Johns Hopkins 3-2 bolstered by an incredible fifth set to advance to secure their spot in the national title match. The Warhawks will play Juniata for a chance to hoist the national championship trophy on Saturday at 4 PM ET.
Thursday's national semifinal featured big wins by each squad with Johns Hopkins taking sets one and three while UWW cruised to wins in sets two and four. It all came down to the decisive fifth set and the Warhawks showcased why they are the best blocking team in the nation.
Outside hitter
Alayna Jansky (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) tooled the block for the first point of the fifth. A fantastic serve by Riley Braunschweig had JHU out of system, but a UWW miscue tied the set 1-1. On the next rally setter
Aubrie Krzus (Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville South) and middle hitter
Hannah Proctor (Durand, Ill./Durand) teamed up for the Warhawks' first block of the set. A Blue Jay kill from the right side made it 2-2.
The Johns Hopkins float serve sailed well long of the end line for a 3-2 lead. The Blue Jays set to the right side again but outside
Jenna Weinfurt (Waukesha, Wis./Catholic Memorial) and Proctor turned their hands in on the attack sending the ball back to the floor quickly for the second block of the set -- 4-2 Warhawk lead.
The next rally had Proctor teaming with right side
Chloe Werner (Waterford, Wis./Waterford Union) to shut down another Blue Jay attack to force a timeout with UWW leading 5-2. On the other side of the break, Jansky's tough serve forced a free ball and Weinfurt capitalized hammering down a kill from the outside for a 6-2 advantage.
Weinfurt and Proctor made it five straight for UW-Whitewater with yet another block, this one deflected straight back into the hitter for the point and a 7-2 advantage.
A cut shot for JHU hit the floor to end the run, but the Warhawks responded quickly with the team's fifth block of the set. Werner and Proctor shut down the outside to force the side switch with UWW leading 9-3.
A Blue Jay kills after the brief intermission made it 9-4, but once again, UW-Whitewater answered. An attack from Werner nearly hit the floor but a pancake kept the play alive. JHU was able to get the ball over the net and Krzus went back to Werner. This time she opted for the deep corner with the ball landing just inside the lines for a 10-4 lead.
Back-to-back points for the Blue Jays narrowed the gap to four, 10-6.
On the next play, Krzus pushed the set to the pin and Weinfurt elevated hitting over the block down the line for a kill and an 11-6 lead. The best blocker in the nation, middle
Abbie Dix (Brodhead, Wis./Brodhead), got in on the block action on the next rally. She teamed up with Krzus for a huge one to force the final Johns Hopkins timeout of the set.
Out of the timeout it was Dix and Krzus yet again for the Warhawks' seventh block of the set to make it 13-6.
Following a UWW service error, the Blue Jay server was whistled for going over the line on her serve to force match point. UW-Whitewater ended it in perfect fashion, with their eighth, yes eighth, block of the set as Krzus and Proctor sealed the win.
The Warhawks ended up out-blocking the Blue Jays 14-9 with Dix leading all players with eight. Krzus and Proctor each had six while Werner added four and Weinfurt three.
Offensively, Jansky hammered down 17 kills with Weinfurt posted 16. Krzus dished out 43 assists. In the dig column, Weinfurt registered 17 with libero
Jaedynn Evans (Kalona, Iowa/Iowa City Regina) tallying 12 and Jansky adding 11.
On Saturday, the Warhawks will play for the national title for the third time under Head Coach
Stacy Boudreau. UWW hoisted the trophy in 2005, her first season at the helm, and finished as the national runner-up in 2007. The last time UW-Whitewater met Juniata in the national championship match was in 2005, in Salem, and the Warhawks came out on top in the five-setter. The Eagles are the two-time defending national champions and have won 96 consecutive matches. Since 2000, UWW leads the series against Juniata 9-3.
