Pioneers Win Five-Set Thriller Over Eagles

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – After dropping the first two sets, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville volleyball team (17-5, 2-3 WIAC) rallied to win the next three over UW-La Crosse (8-13, 1-4 WIAC) on Friday night inside the Williams Fieldhouse.

UW-La Crosse took a five-point lead early in the opening set and maintained the early advantage to win 25-20. The Pioneers were able to get within two points multiple times, but each time the Eagles answered to keep the set just out of reach. In the second set, UW-Platteville rallied back from several deficits to even the score at 20, but UW-La Crosse was able to take the two-set lead with a 25-23 win.

The Pioneers flipped the momentum in the third set, racing out to an 11-5 lead behind a 6-1 run. UW-Platteville led by as many as eight twice in the set and won 25-20. Both teams went back-and-forth in set four, but a six-point Pioneer run gave the hosts a 22-17 lead late. A pair of UW-La Crosse attack errors gave UW-Platteville a 25-18 set victory and evened the match at two.

In the fifth set, the Pioneers pulled ahead by six as kills by sophomore Kylie Greenfield, junior Camryn Johnston, and freshman Kierney McDonald gave UW-Platteville an 11-5 advantage. Sophomore Emma Carlson wrapped up the comeback win with a pair of kills to clinch the fifth set 15-10 in favor of the Pioneers.

Carlson posted a new career-best with 27 kills, while swinging an impressive .423 and adding seven digs. McDonald was the other Pioneer in double figures, tallying 14 kills and hitting .429. Freshman Bri Gartner led the team with 17 digs while senior Sam Rossetti finished with 14 digs. The Pioneers totaled eight service aces and nine total blocks, as McDonald posted a team-high five block assists to go along with a solo block.

UW-Platteville will play a pair of matches tomorrow when it hosts the Pioneer Invitational. The Pioneers will compete against Augustana at 1 p.m. followed by Carthage at 3 p.m. inside the Williams Fieldhouse.

*As with every UW-Platteville win this year, the Platteville A&W will be offering a $3 Pioneer burger the day after the win and the Platteville Taco John's will be offering 10 tacos for $10 the day after each Pioneer win.