RELEASED:  Thursday, November 15, 2007

UW-Whitewater Upends Puget Sound In NCAA Women’s Volleyball Quarterfinals

Bloomington, Ill.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater defeated University of Puget Sound (Wash.) 30-17, 30-23, 30-25 in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship at the Shirk Center on Nov. 15.

The Warhawks (35-4) advance to the semifinals and will face defending national champion Juniata College (Pa.) (36-4) on Nov. 16 at 4:30 p.m.   UW-Whitewater will bring a 16-match winning streak into the contest against the Eagles, who have won 14 of their last 15 matches.

In game one of the win over Puget Sound (20-9) the Warhawks got out to a 6-2 lead.  The Warhawks kept Puget Sound playing from the back row and increased the lead to 24-14.  UW-Whitewater closed out the win on a service error by the Loggers.

Puget Sound opened game two up 3-1 and held the lead until UW-Whitewater tied the game 11-11.  UW-Whitewater's first lead came at 12-11, and Puget Sound called time out with UW-Whitewater leading 16-13.  UW-Whitewater used an 8-4 advantage to go up 24-17 when Puget Sound called another time out.  The Loggers pulled within 27-22, but the Warhawks closed out the game, scoring three of the next four and ending the contest on a Logger blocking error.

The Loggers led again in game two, 9-5, but UW-Whitewater tied the game at 10-10 and scored four more to make it 14-10.  Puget Sound knotted the game at 20-20 after a couple of Warhawk errors, forcing UW-Whitewater to call its final time out of the game.  Puget Sound took after the time out, but a kill by Sarah Theis and a hitting error by Puget Sound tied the game at 23-23.  UW-Whitewater scored three more, making it 26-23, and forcing Puget Sound to take its second time out.  Two Kate Lazotte aces made the score 28-24.  Kelly Sorensen used a kill and a service ace to end the match.

UW-Whitewater was led by Sorensen's 10 kills and 14 digs, and Rebekah Nelson hit .500 with nine kills.  Kristina Conlin contributed 15 digs, and Lazotte added 38 assists and six service aces.

Puget Sound's Emma Bryant had 10 kills, hitting .421.  Jamee Fred and Rachel Gross had 11 digs each, with Fred also credited with 24 assists.

UW-Whitewater hit .205, and Puget Sound .105.  UW-Whitewater had two ball handling errors, Puget Sound five; and UW-Whitewater had one blocking error and Puget Sound three.