UWS Fall to Stevens Point

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

 
Stevens Point 3, Superior 0

Saturday was a perfect fall day in Superior. With no wind to speak of and temperatures in the high 70s, it was the kind of day that reminds people why they take up residence on the western shore of Lake Superior. Inside, Saturday was the day that the Yellowjacket volleyball team would look to break free from its mid-season struggles and earn its first WIAC win of the season. The test would be a tough one, however, as the opposition came in the form of UW-Stevens Point, a team that entered the day ranked No. 9 in the nation among NCAA Division III volleyball teams.

And they showed why they are a Division III powerhouse in 2014. Usually the end of any sporting event is the most exciting, but today, it was backwards. The Yellowjackets played the visiting Pointers tough in the first set, but the next two were all Stevens Point as they went on to win the match in straight sets.

Excitement was overflowing in the first set, as they teams traded punches like boxers in a ring. The Pointers jumped out to a 14-8 lead, but the Yellowjackets weren’t intimidated nationally-ranked Pointers. They responded with four points in a row to cut the Pointers’ lead to 14-12. Superior would continue to rally and go on to take the lead at 19-18. They would extend the lead to 23-20 before the Pointers took a time out to regroup. Whatever they did worked, as the Pointers would score the next five points to take the set from UW-Superior, 25-23.

Being so close to taking the first set and ultimately coming up empty seemed to sap some of the energy from the home team, and they started slowly in the second.

The Pointers took the first three points in the second set but the Yellowjackets battled back again and tied the score at 4-4. Stevens Point then went on an 8-2 run, followed later by a 5-0 run to surge ahead 19-10. Play was mostly even the rest of the way and the Pointers took a commanding 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-14 victory in the second set.

Stevens Point carried the momentum into the third set, moving out a 4-0 lead. The deficit proved to be insurmountable as the Pointers never gave up the lead and closed out the sweep, taking the third set 25-13.

The Yellowjackets were led by Stephanie Bandelin (Esko, Minn./Esko) who had eight kills, followed by Vicki Vinokur (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) who had seven. Keely Deadrick (Esko, Minn./Esko) had 22 assists and 10 digs.

Stevens Point employed a balanced attack on the day with five players registering at least six kills and two reaching double figures. Tiffany Stardgardt led the way with 11. On the defensive side, three players had at least 11 digs, led by Bri Piepenbrok with 12.

The Yellowjackets (7-13, 0-2 WIAC) will hit the road next week and travel to Colorado Springs, Colorado where they will compete in the Pikes Peak Challenge, hosted by Colorado College. On Friday, October 3 the Yellowjackets will play Nebraska Wesleyan University and the host Tigers. The following day they will take on Christopher Newport University and the University of California-Santa Cruz.