Pioneers drop first match of WashU Invite to Cornell

ST. LOUIS, MO. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville volleyball team (19-7, 3-3) competed in its first of three matches at the WashU Invite Friday night, falling 3-1 to Cornell College (17-6, 6-0). 

In the opening set, neither team led by more than two points until the Rams put together a four-point run to lead 20-16. The Pioneers responded with a four-point run of their own and the teams remained locked at 25-25. A kill by Camryn Johnston put the Pioneers ahead 27-26, but three straight by the Rams left Cornell to take set one 29-27. 

Cornell used the excitement from the long first set to jump out to a 10-5 lead, but two kills from Emma Carlson, one from Claudia Johnson and two service aces by Kierney McDonald knotted the second set 10-10. However, the Rams' six-point run aided in the 25-19 victory to jump out to a 2-0 lead. 

The Pioneers weren't finished yet though and a four-point run, followed up by a five-point run and then seven straight after being tied 16-16 kept the match alive as UW-Platteville took the third set 25-20. 

In the final set of the match, the Rams scored first and the Pioneers were never able to catch them as Cornell went on to win 25-19. 

Junior Carlson finished with a team-high 21 kills on a .294 hitting percentage along with nine digs. Junior Madilyn Schultz also hit double-digit kills with 12.  Freshman Bri Gartner led with 18 digs while senior Sam Rossetti tallied 23 assists. 

The Pioneers will report to action on Saturday morning for day two of the invite. UW-Platteville will take on Grinnell College at 10:30 a.m. and Earlham College at 1 p.m.