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| UWP made its sixth NCAA III tournament appearance. |
Posted November 12, 2009
The UW-Platteville volleyball team stay at the 2009 NCAA Division III national championships was ended by 22nd-ranked Nebraska Wesleyan Thursday afternoon.
The Prairie Wolves beat the Pioneers 25-17, 20-25, 26-24, 25-21 in the first round matchup at Wash. U. in St. Louis. Nebraska Wesleyan will take an 18-11 record into Friday's regional semifinals, while the Pioneers end their season at 22-15.
After Nebraska Wesleyan won the first set 25-17, the Pioneers came back to take the second. UWP broke a 19-19 tie with six of the next seven points. Lisa Bell and Melanie Bailiff each made kills, bringing the score to match point, and the Timber Wolves could not return an Abby Carey serve. The 25-20 Pioneer win tied the match at 1-1.
The third set went back-and-forth, with UWP rallying to tie the score. The Pioneers were down 20-17, but Melanie Bailiff made a kill and then served two straight winning points. With the score tied at 24-24, Nebraska Wesleyan's Brittny Barber made a kill and a block to clinch the set win.
The Pioneers once again mounted a late rally in the fourth set, fighting off four straight match points before succumbing.
Samantha Rampart led the Pioneers with 13 kills, while Briana Kaiser had 12, and Bell and Melissa Hillebrand each had eight. Ali Sikic recorded 42 assists, while Carey had 31 digs, Brooke Nichols 13, and Leslie White 12.
NWU's Laura Brammeier led all hitters with 17 kills, and Barber had 13.
The Pioneers lose two talented seniors from this year's team: Steph Tronnes, a four-year letter winner who played in 331 career sets, and Lisa Bell, who finished in the top five in Pioneer career categories for kills (1,374), blocks (378) and sets played (516).
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