Box Score Platteville, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse volleyball team clinched at least a share of the 2015 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-23, 25-20) victory at UW-Platteville Friday night. The Eagles improve to 19-8 overall and 6-1 in the WIAC while the Pioneers fall to 11-19 overall and 0-6 in the conference.
UWL's 19 overall and six conference victories are the most since finishing 28-12 overall and 6-2 in the WIAC in 2008.
With the win, UWL clinches at least a share of the league title with UW-Oshkosh. UW-Oshkosh improved to 5-1 in the WIAC with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-20) win over UW-River Falls Friday night. The Titans can earn a share of the league crown with a win over UW-Stout Saturday, October 31.
"I'm incredibly proud of the team's accomplishments so far this season," said UWL head coach
Lily Hallock. "Their success has come from hard work and putting the team first. We look forward to a week of practice where we can continue to improve before the conference tournament."
It is UWL's 10th regular-season conference title in school history (1972, 1973, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 2003). The Eagles earned a co-championship with UW-River Falls in 2003. UWL advanced to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Quarterfinals in 2003 and finished the season at 33-6 overall.
Leah Putzier led UWL with 12 kills Friday night while
Ashley Entinger totaled 11 and
Jill Entinger eight. Putzier hit .241 (12-5-29) for the match while
Ashley Entinger hit .265 (11-2-34) and
Jill Entinger .467 (8-1-15).
Jaclyn Barrette recorded 34 assists as the Eagles hit .197 (43-16-137) as a team.
Putzier and Barrette each had 14 digs Friday while
Danica Johnson registered 13.
UWL had 5.0 team blocks.
Jessica Jablonski finished with two block assists and one block solo while Putzier had two block assists.
Allison Jensen led UW-Platteville with 11 kills while Kelley Lynch finished with six. Katie O'Malley had 13 assists and Grace Austin 10 as the Pioneers hit .118 (29-15-119).
Lynch registered a match-high 15 digs while Lindsey Decker finished with 14 and Amber Williams 12.
UW-Platteville recorded 6.0 team blocks. Lidia Frias had four block assists and one block solo.
UWL returns to action Friday, November 6 in the WIAC Championship Semifinals at 5 or 7:30 p.m. The Eagles will be the number one or two seed for the championships. The semifinals will be played Friday, November 6 while the championship and third-plae matches are scheduled for Saturday, November 7. The top-seed for the championships will host November 6-7.
If UW-Oshkosh defeats UW-Stout October 31, UW-Oshkosh will be the top-seed in the championships by virtue of its 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-20) victory over UWL October 7 in Oshkosh. If UW-Oshkosh loses to UW-Stout, UWL will be the top-seed.