Volleyball nipped by No. 8 Pointers

STEVENS POINT, Wis. -- The eighth-ranked UW-Stevens Point swept the University of Wisconsin-Platteville volleyball team, 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-15) on Saturday. 

Junior Jennifer Schmidt led the Pioneers with a double-double, recording 12 digs and 10 kills. Freshman Merritt Johnson tallied six kills, followed by junior Lauren Grady with five. 

UW-Stevens Point raced out to an 11-3 lead in the first set but UW-Platteville rallied to take a 24-23 lead. The Pointers saved a set point on a kill by Tiffany Stargardt and went on two win the next two points to take the set 26-24. 

The Pioneers led 16-11 in the second set before the Pointers won five straight points to tie the score. UWP held a one-point edge at 22-21 but, like the first set, UW-Stevens Point rallied late, winning the final four points for a 25-22 set win. 

UW-Platteville jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the third set, but UWSP later won ten consecutive points to turn a 10-6 deficit into a 16-10 lead. The Pointers went on to close the match with a 25-15 victory.

The Pioneers will travel to UW-Oshkosh on Tuesday for the first round of the WIAC Tournament.