MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) – Senior
James Biedenbender (La Crosse, Wis.) surpassed 1,000 career assists, but Wisconsin Lutheran College fell to Illinois Institute of Technology 3-0 on Wednesday in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match at Time of Grace Center.
The Warriors (8-16, 4-7 NACC) fell to the Scarlet Hawks in a match that featured a combined 32 ties and 13 lead changes by scores of 25-20, 29-27, 25-23.
In an opening set that showcased 10 ties and six lead changes, WLC held an 11-10 lead before IIT rattled off four straight points. Wisconsin Lutheran evened the score for the final time at 16-16 when Illinois Tech scored three in a row to take the lead for good and win the first set 25-20. Biedenbender assisted freshman
Noah Kern (Brookfield, Wis.) on the Warriors' 18th point of the set to eclipse 1,000 assists for his career.
WLC faced a pair of four-point deficits in the second set only to battle back and take its first lead at 24-23 following a kill from junior
Connor Haeuser (West Bend, Wis.). The Scarlet Hawks fended off match point a second time at 25-24 with two consecutive points, and broke away from a pair of late ties to edge out a 29-27 victory.
Wisconsin Lutheran held the lead for the majority of the third set, including as many as four points at 14-10. IIT fought back to take a 19-18 lead, its first since leading 5-4. The Warriors climbed back in front 22-21 before a late 4-1 spurt sent Illinois Tech to a 25-23 triumph.
Freshman
Brady Pichler (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) recorded a match-high 11 kills to lead WLC. Three other players posted six kills apiece. Biedenbender amassed a team-high 26 assists. Junior
Drew Wempner (West Allis, Wis.) collected four total blocks, and junior
Trevor Salutric (Lockport, Ill.) tallied a match-high 12 digs. Wisconsin Lutheran totaled 35 kills for a .155 hitting percentage.
Aaron Hanny paced the Scarlet Hawks (11-15, 6-5 NACC) with nine kills, Eli Sherman recorded 32 assists, and Zachary Baus had eight digs. IIT finished with 41 kills for a .224 hitting percentage.
The Warriors play their final regular season match on Saturday when they host Benedictine (14-9, 9-2 NACC) for Senior Day at 12 p.m. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
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