Pioneers Fall To Blue Devils In Conference Opener

MENOMONIE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville volleyball team (10-2, 0-1 WIAC) fell 3-0 on the road in the WIAC opener to UW-Stout (7-4, 1-0 WIAC) on Friday night from Johnson Fieldhouse in Menomonie, Wisconsin.

The Pioneers got off to a fast start in the opening set, using separate runs of six and four points to take an early 10-4 lead. UW-Platteville held a four-point lead at 19-15 late in the set, but the Blue Devils rattled off nine straight points to flip the set in their favor for a 25-21 win.

UW-Stout pulled away late in a back-and-forth second set to win 25-20. In the third set, neither team led by more than two points until the Pioneers used a 6-1 run to take a 20-17 lead. The Blue Devils answered with a four-point run of their own to take back the lead and then claimed the sweep 25-20 after scoring the final three points.

Senior Emma Carlson reached double figures in kills with 12 to pace the team, while junior Kierney McDonald added eight kills. UW-Platteville totaled 32 kills on a .071 hitting percentage as a team in the match.

Junior Gracie Gibbens led the team with 27 assists while adding seven digs. Junior Bri Gartner had a team-high 17 digs, while Carlson added eight digs of her own.

The Pioneers finished with 12 block assists, with McDonald and sophomore Delaney Graves tying to the team lead with three apiece.

UW-Platteville continues conference play at home next Wednesday night at 7 p.m. against UW-Oshkosh.