OSHKOSH, Wis. - After dropping its first two
Friday matches, the Wisconsin Lutheran volleyball team rebounded
with two Saturday victories to finish the weekend 2-2 at the
nine-team UW-Oshkosh Invitational at the Kolf Sports Center.
The Warriors opened pool play Friday by dropping a nail-biting
five-set thriller to St. Norbert College (10-3), 25-23, 23-25,
22-25, 25-22, 18-16. It marked the fifth straight match that WLC
played to the decisive fifth set. Erin Greenfield (Wauwatosa,
Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) (13 kills, 13 digs), Jenna Neuberger
(Muskego, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) (13 kills, 18 digs), Mariah
Bukiewicz (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek) (36 assists, 10 digs) and
Brittanny Bahr (Caledonia, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) (22 assists, 15
digs) each had double-doubles for Wisconsin Lutheran. Rachel
Johnson (Milwaukee, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) led the way with 15
kills and three service aces.
In Friday's nightcap, WLC lost to eventual invite champion
Wartburg College, 3-0. The Knights (10-5), who went 4-0 on the
weekend, defeated the Warriors 25-14, 25-17, 25-21. Johnson again
led WLC with seven kills, while Bukiewicz was credited with a
team-high 13 assists. Heather Tompkins (Menomonee Falls,
Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) also dug out a team-best 20 Wartburg
attacks.
Wisconsin Lutheran resumed invite play Saturday morning by
defeating Northwestern College (Minn.), 3-1. WLC grounded the
Eagles (5-9) by scores of 25-17, 25-17, 17-25, 25-17 to secure its
first win of the weekend. Johnson and Greenfield recorded 15 and 11
kills, respectively, for the Warriors. Bukiewicz registered 29
assists, while Tompkins led the way with 14 digs. The Warriors
totaled nine blocks in the match.
The Warriors concluded invite play Saturday afternoon by
sweeping Aurora University 3-0 to even their weekend mark to 2-2.
WLC shutdown the Spartans (2-12) in its non-conference meeting by
scores of 29-27, 25-17, 25-20. Johnson's 10 kills and Tompkins' 10
digs guided WLC, while Bukiewicz's 23 assists were a team high.
Wisconsin Lutheran (8-6, 1-1 NAC) returns to the Recreation
Complex on Wednesday, September 22 to host Benedictine University
(8-4, 2-0 NAC) in a 7 p.m. Northern Athletics Conference match. It
will be the Warriors' first home match since September 4.
