MENOMONIE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville volleyball team (14-5, 2-1 WIAC) saw its six-match winning streak come to an end on Saturday as UW-Stout Polytechnic (13-7, 1-2, WIAC) rallied to win the conference match in five sets.
The Blue Devils defense totaled 12 blocks on the day while holding a .214 hitting percentage advantage to the Pioneers .198.
In the first set, the Pioneers took a 19-14 lead behind a seven-point run, featuring multiple kills from junior
Abby Bauer. UW-Stout turned things around and used four-straight to take a 23-22 lead, but an attack error and back-to-back kills from senior
Bria Johnston secured the 25-23 win for the Pioneers.
It was all Blue Devils in the second set as they rushed out to a 20-8 advantage. UW-Platteville was able to string together a couple of runs, but it wasn't enough as UW-Stout took the set 25-16.
A six-point and a four-point run gave momentum back to the Pioneers in the third set, jumping out to a 14-6 advantage. Sophomore
Grace Rohde and senior
Kennedy Wenger teamed up for multiple kills in another six-point run and a kill from Bauer closed out the set 25-13 in favor of UW-Platteville.
The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle, and two kills from Wenger and another by Johnston tied the set at 20. UW-Stout took the next two points, but kills from Wenger and junior
Brooklyn Radecke kept the set alive. Unfortunately, two kills from Stout's Brook McCune gave the home team a 25-22 win to tie the match at two sets apiece.
The Blue Devils put together the first run of the fifth set, scoring five straight, and the Pioneers were never able to close the gap from there on as UW-Stout took the set 15-9.
Wenger tallied a team-best 17 kills behind .433 hitting while Radecke (14), Bauer (10), and Johnston (10) joined the senior in double digit kills.
Junior
Kennedey Barber totaled 24 digs while sophomore
Delali Amankwa had a team-high 32 assists.
The Pioneers will return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 13 when they travel to Madison for a non-conference match against Edgewood University at 7 p.m.
