University of Wisconsin La Crosse Athletics

La Crosse, Wis.  - The University of Wisconsin La Crosse volleyball team celebrated senior night with its biggest win of the season so far as they defeated nationally ranked University of Dubuque (Iowa) in five set on Friday night.  

THE BASICS 
Final Score:  UW-La Crosse defeated #23 University of Dubuque (Iowa) 18-25, 25-23, 25-21, 18-25 15-13
Location: Mitchell Hall, La Crosse, Wis.
National Rankings: The University of Dubuque is ranked 23rd on this weeks American Volleyball Coaches Association Top-25 weekly poll. The upset win for the Eagles marks the first time since September 22, 2021 that the Eagles have beaten a nationally ranked opponent (#22 Augsburg University (MInn.)). 
Records: UWL 16-8, University of Dubuque (Iowa) 18-3    

HOW DID IT HAPPEN

• The University of Dubuque jumped out to a 13-5 run in the first set before the Eagles scored four straight to trail 13-9. The Spartans used a 6-3 run to take a 19-12 lead and would not let the Eagles get closer than six (24-18) as Dubuque won the first set 25-18.
• It was the Eagles that would get off to a fast start in the second set as they took an early 7-1 lead. That lead was not held long as Dubuque went on a 10-0 run to take an 11-7 lead. Trailing 18-14, UWL scored eight of the next 10 points to regain the lead at 22-20. A UWL hitting error and back-to-back kills for the Spartans would give Dubuque a 23-22 lead. However, the Eagles would get a kill by Grace Turlais and force two Spartans errors to win the second set 25-23.
• Set three was a very similar start to set two as UWL jumped out to an 8-3 lead before the Spartans scored six straight to lead 9-8. After a Dubuque service error tied it at 9-9, the Spartans scored three straight to lead 12-9. UWL used a 5-0 run to turn a three-point deficit into a 16-14 lead. Dubuque would tie it at 18-18 but UWL scored five of the next six points to lead 23-19. The two teams would then trade points including set point for the Eagles as UWL won the third set 25-21. 
• It would be Dubuque that would take an early lead in the fourth set as they took its largest lead of the set at 14-6. UWL would slowly chip away as they cut their deficit to 19-15; however, Dubuque would score three straight points and UWL would not get any closer than six the rest of the way. 
• Trailing 3-2 in the fifth set, UWL score used a 7-1 run to take a 9-4 lead. Dubuque would not go away quietly as they battled back including scoring three straight to tie the set at 13-13. However, a Dubuque service error followed by a Bella Kottke kill would secure the 15-13 win for the Eagles. 

FROM THE BOX SCORE

• Kayla Sexton recorded a double-double to lead the Eagles as she finished with a team high 15 kills and 18 digs.
• Grace Nommensen added 11 kills while Reese Yocum finished with nine. 
• The offense ran through setters Megan Lund and Kailyan Kurth as they finished with 27 and 15 assists, respectively. 
• Defensively, UWL had four players with double digit digs including Taylor Larson with 17 while Lund and Megan Jasperson each had 12 digs. 

 UP NEXT

• UWL will return to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) action on October 15th when they host nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh at 7 p.m.