Oct. 31, 2009

Courtesy of Wis.-Whitewater

UW-Whitewater, ranked sixth in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, lost to ninth ranked Carthage College Friday night (26-24, 21-25, 22-25, 25-16, 13-15). The Warhawks have dropped to 27-6, while Carthage has improved to 26-5.

Box Score

Photo Gallery

The Warhawks jumped out to a quick lead in the first set scoring the first four points and built their lead to 14-9 when Carthage called their first timeout. The Lady Reds battled back to take their only lead of the set 21-20 but Whitewater gained some momentum after kills from Keri Klotzbuecher and Caitlin Hogan gave UW-W the lead once again. The Warhawks held off the Lady Reds to take the first set 26-24.

Carthage started to pull away in the middle of the second set taking a four point lead 17-13 when Whitewater called a timeout. The 'Hawks fought to tie up the set at 19 each but the Lady Reds prevailed taking set two 25-21.

The Warhawks trailed most of set three but two big assist blocks by Hogan and Katy Krajnak gave UW-W their only lead of the set. Whitewater used both of their timeouts late in the set to try and halt the momentum Carthage was building but the Lady Reds prevailed 25-22.

The Warhawks came out to settle the score in the fourth set. A ten point run with seven of those ten points coming off of four kills each from Sofia Sanchez and Melissa Zuleger propelled Whitewater to a 25-16 win.

UW-W trailed by just one at the side switch in the decisive fifth set. The Lady Reds were able to build a four point lead 12-8 when Whitewater called a timeout to stop Carthage's momentum. A kill out of the timeout by Alyssa Bauer tipped the momentum in favor of UW-W. The Warhawks battled to within two, 13-11, to force a Lady Red timeout. Hogan pounded down a kill out of the timeout bringing the 'Hawks to within one but Carthage answered with a kill of their own to force set and match point. Whitewater refused to give up and fought hard to extend the set but Carthage took the set 15-13 and the match 3-2.

Two Warhawks had double-doubles. Hogan had 13 kills and 11 digs. Klotzbuecher had 11 kills and 24 digs. Sanchez led the Warhawk hitters with 21 kills. Two other Warhawk hitters recorded double digit kills. Zuleger had 14 and Krajnak added 10. Bauer led the Warhawks defensively with 34 digs. Alyse Karls added 24 digs of her own and Annie Berkley had 17. The team totaled 74 kills, 9 total blocks, and 125 digs.

UWW continues play in the Warhawk Invitational, Saturday with games at 10 am against Lakeland and 2 pm against Simpson.