PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville volleyball team (10-8) picked up a pair of wins Friday night inside Williams Fieldhouse. The Pioneers swept North Park University (16-5) in three before defeating Simpson College (14-4) in four sets.

Against the Vikings
In the first set against North Park, the Vikings jumped out to a 10-5 lead, but an ace by senior Klsey Ewert capped off a 4-0 run to narrow the Pioneers' deficit to 10-9. The teams went back and forth and a block by junior Kennedy Wenger and sophomore Abby Bauer locked the set 18-18. North Park took the next two points, but UW-Platteville rallied and a kill by Bauer capped off a six-point and the Pioneers took the set 25-22.

The second set started as a closely contested match, but seven straight by the Pioneers, including kills by sophomore Brooklyn Radecke, senior Kierney McDonald, and Bauer, put UW-Platteville ahead 15-8. The Vikings struggled to find an answer and a 4-0 run capped off the Pioneers 25-15 win.

In the third set, a pair of aces from Ewert put UW-Platteville ahead 9-4, but a four-point run drew the Vikings within one until a 5-1 rally pushed the Pioneers advantage to back 14-9. Back-to-back kills by Radecke pushed the lead to 20-15 and UW-Platteville finished the match with four straight to take the final set 25-17.

Radecke finished with a match-high 12 kills behind .360 hitting. Ewert finished with four service aces and senior Gracie Gibbens finished with 14 assists.

Wenger tallied one solo block and four block assists while Radecke had had a match-high 18 digs.

Against the Storm
Simpson was quick out of the gates, taking an 11-7 lead in the first set, but five straight points, including a kill and service ace from Bauer turned the tables in favor of the Pioneers, 12-11. UW-Platteville put together another 5-0 run, featuring a kill and ace from Radecke, to lead 19-14. A kill from McDonald gave the Pioneers a 23-20 lead and a block by Wenger and freshman Delali Amankwa finished the set 25-21.

UW-Platteville used a 5-0 run, including two kills from Wenger and another by Radecke, to lead the second set 11-8, but Simpson rallied with a run of their own to take the lead 15-14. A couple more three-point and four-point runs by the Storm tied the match and Simpson went on to win the second set 25-21.

The third set was a back-and-forth start, and Simpson led 15-13 midway through. Three straight kills by the Pioneers from Bauer and McDonald gave UW-Platteville a 16-15 lead and the Pioneers never trailed again in the third set. Bauer and Radecke finished the set with back-to-back kills, taking set three 25-22.

The Pioneers continued the momentum into the final set and UW-Platteville led the storm 8-2. A kill from McDonald gave the Pioneers a 16-11 lead, but the Storm stayed alive behind a 4-1 run. Leading 16-14, the Pioneers took the next five straight points. The Storm answered with four straight of their own, but three kills from Radecke and an attack error from Simpson closed out the set 25-18.

Three Pioneers finished with double-digit kills including McDonald with 15, Radecke with 14 and Bauer with 12; Wenger added kills seven behind a match-high .385 hitting percentage. Gibbens added 29 assists in the match to bring her night's total to 43.

McDonald totaled four block assists and one solo block while Ewert had a team-high 22 digs.

UW-Platteville returns to action on Saturday morning in Williams Fieldhouse with a match against Loras at 11 a.m. followed by another against Luther at 1 p.m.

 
*As with every UW-Platteville win this year, the Platteville A&W will be offering a free ice cream cone (with purchase) the day after the win and the Platteville Taco John's will be offering a free churro (with purchase) the day after each Pioneer win.