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University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Jessica Dvergsten
Jed Carlson-Superior Telegram

Volleyball

Warhawks prove too much for Yellowjackets

Jessica Dvergsten


Whitewater 3, Yellowjackets 0
Box Score

Entering Friday's WIAC opener, the Yellowjacket volleyball team was off to one of the best starts in school history.  In fact, you have to go all the way back to 1995 to find the last time a Yellowjacket squad began a season 12-2.  That team charged out of the gate, winning 17 of its first 19 matches and finished with 24 victories. 

The 2012 edition has looked equally as dominant early in the year, dropping only 11 sets through 14 matches.  But none of the early-season opponents provided the caliber of competition that came to town on Friday.

UW-Whitewater, a co-champion of the WIAC and an NCAA tournament entrant a season ago, entered Friday as the No. 13-ranked team in the country.  And despite having two fewer wins than the Yellowjackets, the Warhawks showed why they were chosen to finish second in the conference in the pre-season poll, using a powerful offense and stout defense to defeat the Yellowjackets 3-0.

The opening rally of the match was a precursor of things to come, seemingly lasting until all 12 players on the floor touched the ball at least once.  Long rallies were a regular occurance in the match, and the Warhawks picked up the first point of the match on the play.  The teams traded points for much of the set, with Whitewater holding the edge early.  With Kitty Tynen (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) serving, the Yellowjackets grabbed their first lead at 13-12 on a kill by Nikki Gosson (Mankato, Minn./Mankato East).  The Warhawks quickly regained the lead at 15-14 and then went on a 5-0 run to put the first set out of reach.  The teams traded points the rest of the way and Whitewater closed it out with a 25-18 win.

Not much changed in the second set, with the Warhawks again jumping out to an early lead.  And just like the first set, the teams traded points, with neither team building more than a three-point edge.  With the score tied at 11-11, a Tynen kill again gave the Yellowjackets the lead, and again the Warhawks had the answer, quickly jumping back ahead.  Another Tynen kill gave the Yellowjackets a 19-18 lead, but the Warhawks again erased the deficit and pulled away.  A 3-0 run late was too much for the Yellowjackets to overcome and the Warhawks took a 2-0 lead with a 25-22 victory.

The loss of the second set, one where they played point-for-point with Whitewater, took the wind out of Yellowjacket sails and they weren't able to rebound in the third.  Whitewater jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead and never looked back.  They built the lead to as much as 11, leading 20-9 late.  The Yellowjackets did go on a mini-run, but in the end the Warhawks put them away with a 25-15 score in the third set.

The Yellowjackets struggled on the attack, never scoring more than three points in a row and attacking at a .088 clip, their lowest percentage of the season.  Jessica Dvergsten (Greenbush, Minn./Greenbush-Middle River) and Jessica Zimmerman (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) led the Yellowjackets with six kills apiece.  Dvergsten was also among the top hitters with a .417 attack percentage.  Keely Deadrick (Esko, Minn./Esko) led the Yellowjackets with 15 of the team's 24 assists, a season low for the sophomore.  Salann Gilbert (Solon Springs, Wis./Solon Springs) added four kills and three assists.

On defense Deadrick led with 15 digs, followed by Farrah Wirtz (Esko, Minn./Esko) with 11.  Deadrick and Dvergsten each had 1.5 blocks.

Leanne Lillge led Whitewater with 15 kills.  Kim Frei had 37 assists and Chelsea Mutton had three aces to lead the Whitewater offense.  Defensively, the Warhawks 82 digs in the match, led by Kelsey Nobilio who had 21.  Four Warhawks were in double figures in digs.

The Yellowjackets (12-3, 0-1 WIAC) have a quick turnaround, as they welcome another ranked opponent, UW-Stevens Point, to Mertz Mortorelli Gym on Saturday, September 22.  The Pointers, the pre-season favorites in the WIAC, enter the match as the No. 24-ranked team in the nation according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association.  First serve is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
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