UW-Platteville Loses WIAC Opener to UW-Oshkosh

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville volleyball team dropped a 20-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-23 match to host UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday night.

The Pioneers (8-5, 0-1 WIAC) were led by LeeAnn Mizgalski, who had 12 kills and hit at a .423 clip in the loss.

The Titans (9-6, 1-0 WIAC) had three players with double-digit kills including Morgan Nick, who finished the night with a match-high 19. She was joined by Jordyn Bratel and Sarah Petermann, who had 15 and 13 kills, respectively. Bratel and Petermann each had a double double in the contest with 11 digs.

The Pioneers started the night with a 25-20 victory in the first set, when they outhit UW-Oshkosh by a .429 to .161 margin. UW-Platteville stretched an 8-6 lead to a five-point advantage until the host Titans came back and rallied to get within one, 13-12. Clinging to a one-point lead, the Pioneers scored the next two points and led by as much as six en route to the opening set victory.

In the second set, a decisive 8-2 run by UW-Oshkosh midway through set, led the Titans to a 25-19 victory and to even the match at a set apiece. In the third set, the two teams went back and forth until a pair of 3-0 runs by UW-Oshkosh sparked the home team. The Titans took the third set by a 25-18 margin.  The match remained close in the fourth set but UW-Oshkosh prevailed scoring seven of the final 10 points en route to a 25-23 victory.

The Pioneers return home for its next two matches, where they will put their 12-match home winning streak on the line, when they host UW-Stout on Friday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. and UW-River Falls on Saturday, Sept. 24 for Alumni Day at noon.