Pioneers Sweep Pointers Wednesday

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville volleyball team (19-6, 3-3 WIAC) collected an important conference win on Wednesday evening, sweeping UW-Stevens Point (19-6, 3-3 WIAC) inside Williams Fieldhouse by scores of 25-21, 25-10, and 25-22.

With the win, the Pioneers clinch a spot in the WIAC Conference Tournament, which will be held on Nov. 1-5. A win over UW-River Falls in the conference finale on Oct. 29 would ensure UW-Platteville hosts a match in the opening round, which would be the first for the program since 2010.

Three different four-point runs put the Pioneers up 21-14 in the opening set before a late Pointers rally cut the lead to just two. Sophomore Emma Carlson tallied a kill to end the UW-Stevens Point run, and freshman Kierney McDonald finished the set with a service ace for a 25-21 set one win. UW-Platteville scored seven straight points to open a 10-point lead early in set two. A pair of kills from McDonald and one by sophomore Madilyn Schultz helped the Pioneers win the second set by score of 25-10. UW-Platteville wrapped up the sweep with a 25-22 set three win, holding off a late Pointers run.

McDonald led the team with 12 kills and posted an impressive .478 hitting percentage along. Carlson was the other Pioneer to reach double figures in kills, totaling 10 and adding a team-high 12 digs for the double-double. As a team, UW-Platteville hit .252, including .542 in the second set. Senior Sam Rossetti finished with 29 assists.

The Pioneers will travel to Washington University in St. Louis for a trio of matches this weekend. The team will compete against Cornell College on Friday, Oct. 21 at 4:30 p.m. before playing Grinnell and Earlham on Saturday.

*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 offing 10 tacos for $10 the day after each Pioneer win.