St. Paul, Minn. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse volleyball team fell 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-22) at ninth-ranked the University of Northwestern (Minn.) Friday night in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Regional Semifinals in the Ericksen Center. UWL finishes its season at 22-7 while Northwestern (Minn.) advances to Saturday's regional final hosting 16th-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.).  

UWL, receiving votes on this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top-25 Poll, advanced to Friday's regional semifinals after a 3-1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-13) win over College of Saint Benedict (Minn.) in Thursday night's first round.  

Appearing in the NCAA Division III Championships for the 15th time in school history, UWL is now 19-16 all-time in tournament play. The Eagles have earned bids to the national tournament the last three seasons, advancing to the regional semifinals in 2016. UWL finished third in 1986 and fourth in 1985 while advancing to the national quarterfinals in 2003 and 2004.

It marks the second straight Northwestern (Minn.) has earned a regional semifinal win over UWL, claiming a 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-17) victory at home in 2016. Northwestern (Minn.) defeated UWL, 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-21) earlier this season.

Northwestern (Minn.), who advanced to the NCAA Division III Semifinals a year ago, raced out to an 8-2 lead in the opening set Friday. UWL cut the lead to 11-7, but could get no closer the rest of the way.  The second set was tied eight times, including 18-18 after UWL's Marisa Johnson recorded an kill. Northwestern (Minn.) scored the next two points before a Stephanie Henk kill cut the lead to 20-19. Northwestern (Minn.) won five of the last six points to earn the 25-20 victory.  

Trailing 10-6 in the third set, UWL used a 7-2 run to lead 13-12. It was later tied 18-18 before Northwestern (Minn.) finished the match scoring seven of the last 11 points.

Kathryn Maas led UWL with 11 kills while Johnson and Jessica Jablonski each finished with eight while Henk totaled six. Madison Entinger recorded 35 assists as the Eagles hit .134 (40-21-142).

Paige Schmidt led five players in double figures with 16 digs. Henk and Entinger each recorded 14 digs while Johnson and Halle Barnabo recorded 12. UWL had 8.0 team blocks with Jablonski recording five block assists and one block solo.

Lindsey Peterson led Northwestern (Minn.) with 16 kills. Leesa Malone had 20 assists and Kaelyn Kilbo 12 as the Eagles hit .200 (41-13-200). Northwestern (Minn.) hit .333 (17-2-45) in the second set. 

Jackie Doering led the team with 21 digs while Lindsey Peterson finished with 13 and Freya Hanson 11. The Eagles finished with 6.5 team blocks.