Oshkosh 3, Yellowjackets 2
Box Score
With one of the largest and most energetic crowds of the season on hand, the Yellowjacket volleyball team battled with UW-Oshkosh, a match-up of teams vying to get out of the WIAC cellar. On "Dig Pink" night, the match went the full five sets, with the TItans coming away victorious.
The first set was dominated by the Yellowjackets as they won 25-15 and put up an outstanding attack with 20 kills on only one error. The highlight of the set was when Keely Deadrick (Esko, Minn./Esko) served up two straight aces with the score at 10-7, allowing the Yellowjackets to take control. Four Yellowjackets would go on the have double digit kills on the night: Nikki Gosson (Mankato, Minn./Mankato East) (16), Salann Gilbert (Solon Springs, Wis./Solon Springs) (12), Kitty Tynen (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) (12), and Jessica Dvergsten (Greenbush, Minn./Greenbush-Middle River) (11).
Following the first set, both teams would pick up the defensive intensity. The Yellowjackets would put up a total of 110 digs lead by Farrah Wirtz (Esko, Minn./Esko) and Deadrick who each had 21. The Titans were close behind with a total of 109 digs. The second set would prove to be the closest of the match, as it was won 25-23 on a two point run to finish the game for the Titans.
UW-Oshkosh would take the third set by a score of 25-18 and go up 2-1 on the night. The Titans posted an attack percentage of .429 to put the Yellowjackets down. Deadrick would again chip in two straight aces and Jessica Zimmerman (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) would eventually put up eight kills on the night.
In the fourth set, the Yellowjackets would put together a remarkable 12-3 run to close things out and push the game to a fifth and final set. The highlight of the scoring run for the Yellowjackets came when Farrah Wirtz (Esko, Minn./Esko) tossed up four straight powerful serves which lead the team to a 5-0 run.
In the final set the Titans would be the first to eight point mark at the turn-around. However, the Yellowjackets would score right away and tie the game at 8-8. From there the Yellowjackets would create four errors and the Titans would finish out the night on a 7-1 run, forcing the Yellowjackets to look elsewhere for their first conference win of the season.
The Yellowjackets (14-9, 0-4 WIAC) will be heading to Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. to take part in the Carleton College Triangle on Saturday, October 6. Conference play will return for the Yellowjackets on October 10, when they travel to UW-Eau Claire to take on the Blugolds.
