Volleyball team falls to No. 16 Elmhurst, 3-0

Written by: Jeremy Williamson, Sports Information Student Assistant

Elmhurst, Ill. -- The Pioneer volleyball team continued competition against another top-20 opponent in a non-conference battle against Elmhurst College (12-4) Friday evening at the Elmhurst College Invitational.

Unfortunately the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (7-8) fell short yet again in three matches to the Bluejays 25-19, 25-16 and 25-21.

The closest the Pioneers got in the first match was evening the score at 12. After that the Bluejays went on a 9-1 run en route to a 25-19 win. The second match started off slow for the Pioneers as the Bluejays scored three quick points in a row. The Pioneers made a run later in the match to close the gap to four, 12-8, but it was not enough to stop the momentum of the Bluejays as they went on to win, 25-16.

UW-Platteville took an early 5-3 lead in the third match, but the Bluejays would go on a 14-5 run to stifle any hope of a Pioneer victory,17-10. Although the Pioneers would make a run and close the gap to two, 23-21, the Bluejays won game three off a Pioneer service error followed by a Pioneer kill error, 25-21.

Elmhurst was able to collect 43 kills compared to the Pioneers' 28. Rachel Ambroch led the offensive attack with eight of those kills, while Lindsey Decker anchored the defense with 13 digs.

The Pioneers compete in a doubleheader on Saturday against North Central College and Concordia (Chicago) with the first match beginning at 10am and the second at 2pm.