By Chris Lindeke, Assistant Athletic Director, Strategic Communications and Branding, UW-W
Thursday, November 11, 2021
No. 9 Warhawk Volleyball Wins NCAA First Round Match
Box Score: https://uwwsports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2021/first-round-vs-ithaca-n-y-/boxscore/15456
The No. 9 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament Thursday afternoon with a 26-28, 25-13, 25-15, 25-12 victory against Ithaca (N.Y.) in a first-round match played at Calvin University’s Van Noord Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The Warhawks (27-2 overall) advance to the Grand Rapids Regional semifinal to face No. 24 Otterbein (Ohio), which defeated Westminster (Pa.) in three sets earlier Thursday. Friday’s second-round match will begin at 4:30 p.m. Central Time.
UW-Whitewater posted a .291 hitting percentage Thursday while holding the Bombers (16-14) to a .050 hitting percentage, and held advantages in service aces (9-4) and blocks (11-6).
Jenna Weinfurt tallied a team-high 12 kills to go with four blocks, while fellow outside hitter Erin McNeil registered 10 kills on a .529 hitting percentage with two blocks. Middle hitter Morgan Wardall collected 11 kills on a .412 hitting percentage, and Kirsten Anderson finished with eight kills, three digs and five blocks. Right side hitter Baylie Hansen matched Anderson with five blocks and added three kills.
Paige Manssen recorded a team-high 25 assists, while KellyAnn Sotiros totaled 22 assists, three service aces and two blocks.
Morgan Jensen paced the defense with 17 digs. Emma Aske contributed 12 digs, six kills and two service aces, and Hailey Mackenthun generated 10 digs and two service aces.
The Warhawks took an 18-12 lead in the first set, but Ithaca embarked on a 7-1 run to tie the set at 19-19. The two teams traded points, and UW-W had a pair of set points turned away. The Bombers scored the final three points to take a 1-0 match lead.
The two teams traded points in the second before UW-Whitewater gained separation midway through the set. Leading 17-13, the Warhawks ran off the final eight points of the set on Mackenthun’s serve to level the match at 1-1.
Ithaca held a 7-4 advantage in the third set before a 12-3 run gave UW-Whitewater a 16-10 lead. UW-W continued to gain separation, eventually leading by a 21-11 margin. Weinfurt put the set away with a kill on the final point.
The Warhawks jumped out to a 6-2 advantage in the fourth and didn’t look back. Mackenthun served UW-W to a 10-point lead, which grew to as many as 13.
Friday’s contest is a rematch of the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament, when Otterbein topped UW-Whitewater in four sets at the Chicago Regional. The Cardinals lead the all-time series between the two teams by a 2-1 margin.
Otterbein (24-5) is a Pool C (at-large) qualifier out of the Ohio Athletic Conference.
