EAU CLAIRE, Wis. -- The UW-Superior volleyball team took on its second consecutive nationally ranked opponent Tuesday, this time facing off with defending national champion and 14th-ranked UW-Eau Claire, falling 3-0, at the McPhee Physical Education Center in non-conference action.
 
The Yellowjackets hung with the Blugolds for much of the first two sets, but dropped a 25-17, 25-20, 25-9 decision, dipping to 14-11 overall on the season. With the win, UWEC improves to 21-6.
 
Senior Cassy Teff (Foley, Minn./Foley) and sophomore Maiana Stark (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) paced the UWS offense with seven kills each, while Teff added a team-high 11 assists. Sophomore Jenna Anderson (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) and senior Alexie Pryd (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove Senior) posted 10 digs apiece. Anderson has now eclipsed the 1,000-dig mark and has 1,002 for her career in just 54 career matches.
 
The Blugolds placed three players in double-digit kills and hit .343 for the match with 43 kills in 99 total attacks with just nine errors. UWEC limited the 'Jackets to .064 on attack with 28 kills in 110 attempts with 21 errors. Arianna Barrett led Eau Claire with 13 kills as Jordan Witzel and Selena Levendoski chipped in with 12 and 10, respectively.
 
Charlie Nelson (35 assists and 15 digs) turned in one of the Blugolds' two double-doubles on the night with Barrett also picking up 12 digs to complete the other.
 
UWS built a 12-8 lead in the first set, using a 4-0 run. Stark had two kills and junior Kaylin Plautz (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) had one with the two players also combining for a block to force an Eau Claire timeout. Plautz extended the advantage with a kill out of the break, but UWEC rallied for seven of the next eight points to take a 15-14 lead.
 
Superior responded to retake the lead, 16-15, with a Teff kill and Anderson service ace, before EC engineered a 10-1 stretch, taking the set.
 
The Yellowjackets trailed just 10-9 in the second set when Stark put one down, assisted by Teff, prior to a 7-2 run that gave UWEC a 17-11 edge, prompting a timeout. UWS got within three points at 18-15 on a Pryd kill and Blugolds' error, later cutting the deficit to 22-20 with a service error, Teff kill and freshman Colleen Claude (Centuria, Wis./Homeschool) ace. Eau Claire, however, won he final three points to take a two-set lead in the match, carrying the momentum into the third.
 
The Blugolds hit .370 in the final set, bolting to leads of 8-3 and 12-6 before the Yellowjackets called timeout. Following a Teff kill, Eau Claire ran off six straight for an 18-7 advantage and sealed the match 10 points later.
 
UWS returns to Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play at Crown Thursday at 6 p.m.