Volleyball splits pair of conference games
Blugolds suffer only second loss of season in weekend match
Nick Gourdoux
Issue date: 9/17/09 Section: Sports
The 9-1 UW-Eau Claire volleyball team, ranked No. 13 overall, hosted the then 3-5 UW-Platteville Pioneers on Friday in the conference opener, and found themselves on the wrong end of an upset.
In a close first game, the Blugolds lost 25-23, seemingly giving the Pioneers momentum for the remaining games. Game two ended in a 25-18 victory for the Pioneers, and the third game, a back-and-forth affair that saw the Blugolds take a 14-9 lead, eventually ended in a 25-22 victory for the Pioneers.
"You don't play the game on paper, and we've got to be ready to play every team that we play this year," coach Kim Wudi said. "This conference has been notorious for upsets. I think … we took them for granted and we learned a lesson that that can't happen."
Offensively, Eau Claire was well balanced. Sophomore Liz Amici led the team with eight kills while juniors Rachael Ver Voort and Danielle Lucia both added seven. Junior Amanda Lessner led the team with 21 assists while Ver Voort and senior Lindsey Smith each added six digs.
On Saturday the Blugolds once again hosted a WIAC foe, UW-La Crosse. Like the Pioneers, the Eagles entered the match with a losing record - 2-8. While the match once again ended in a sweep, it was the Blugolds who found themselves on the winning side.
"Our offense and our defense need to click, and I think we put things together against La Crosse and we took care of business," Smith said. "We still aren't playing our best volleyball and that is exciting because I still know that our team can be a lot better and make improvements."
The Blugolds survived a late rally in the first game to win 25-22. In the second game the Blugolds found themselves leading late, but once again were forced to fight off a late rally to win 25-20. In the third game Wudi decided to play two freshmen, setter Emily Naeve and outside hitter Amy Bomgren, who Wudi said played a big part in the eventual 25-14 victory.
"That's not to say our other players weren't doing well or haven't done well; but, today in particular it was those two who I would say stepped up and played well," she said. "They came out with energy and took advantage of their opportunity to be on the court."
In a close first game, the Blugolds lost 25-23, seemingly giving the Pioneers momentum for the remaining games. Game two ended in a 25-18 victory for the Pioneers, and the third game, a back-and-forth affair that saw the Blugolds take a 14-9 lead, eventually ended in a 25-22 victory for the Pioneers.
"You don't play the game on paper, and we've got to be ready to play every team that we play this year," coach Kim Wudi said. "This conference has been notorious for upsets. I think … we took them for granted and we learned a lesson that that can't happen."
Offensively, Eau Claire was well balanced. Sophomore Liz Amici led the team with eight kills while juniors Rachael Ver Voort and Danielle Lucia both added seven. Junior Amanda Lessner led the team with 21 assists while Ver Voort and senior Lindsey Smith each added six digs.
On Saturday the Blugolds once again hosted a WIAC foe, UW-La Crosse. Like the Pioneers, the Eagles entered the match with a losing record - 2-8. While the match once again ended in a sweep, it was the Blugolds who found themselves on the winning side.
"Our offense and our defense need to click, and I think we put things together against La Crosse and we took care of business," Smith said. "We still aren't playing our best volleyball and that is exciting because I still know that our team can be a lot better and make improvements."
The Blugolds survived a late rally in the first game to win 25-22. In the second game the Blugolds found themselves leading late, but once again were forced to fight off a late rally to win 25-20. In the third game Wudi decided to play two freshmen, setter Emily Naeve and outside hitter Amy Bomgren, who Wudi said played a big part in the eventual 25-14 victory.
"That's not to say our other players weren't doing well or haven't done well; but, today in particular it was those two who I would say stepped up and played well," she said. "They came out with energy and took advantage of their opportunity to be on the court."
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