Posted October 31, 2009
UW-Platteville ran into two strong teams and lost twice in the final day of the UW-Whitewater Invitational.
Ninth-ranked Carthage beat the Pioneers 24-26, 25-17, 25-18, 25-10, and St. Ambrose won its 30th match of the year with a 25-21, 26-24, 23-25, 25-21 victory. UWP finished 2-2 in the tournament and ended the regular season with a 21-12 mark.
The Pioneers, who finished third in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, will play host to sixth-ranked UW-Stevens Point Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Williams Fieldhouse.
Melissa Hillebrand had 10 kills against Carthage and led four Pioneers in double figures with 18 against St. Ambrose. Melanie Bailiff added 14 kills against the Bees, and Briana Kaiser and Samantha Rampart had 10 apiece. Abby Carey tied her career-best with 31 digs against St. Ambrose, who is now 30-7.
Posted October 30, 2009
UW-Platteville won its 20th match for the 16th time in Coach Deb Schulman's 22 years, as the Pioneers downed Lakeland College 20-19, 20-25, 25-21, 25-22 in the first round of the UW-Whitewater Invitational.
The Pioneers then avenged an early season 3-0 loss to Simpson by rallying to beat the Storm 18-25, 22-25, 25-17, 25-18, 15-11. UWP did not make a htting error in the decisive fifth game, recording 10 kills in 18 swings to clinch the match.
Melissa Hillebrand (13 vs. LC and 15 vs. SC), Briana Kaiser (11 and 15), and Samantha Rampart (13 and 17) recorded double figures in kills in both matches, while Kaiser and Melanie Bailiff each had six blocks against Simpson. Lisa Bell totaled seven blocks on the night, while Abby Carey had 37 digs and Leslie White 16 in the pair of matches. Ali Sikic made 50 assists vs. Simpson and 46 against Lakeland.
UWP faces Carthage Saturday at noon, and St. Ambrose Saturday at 2 p.m. to end the regular season. WIAC third-seed UW-Platteville will play host to sixth-seeded UW-Stevens Point Tuesday in the first round of the conference playoffs.
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