How Sweet It Is: Pioneers advance to NCAA Sweet 16

WHITEWATER, Wis. – For just the second time in program history, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville volleyball team will compete in the NCAA DIII Sweet 16 after defeating Washington University (Mo.) (29-7) in four sets Friday evening. The Pioneers (27-6) took an early two-set lead and finished strong to advance to the regional championship by scores of 25-20, 25-18, 18-25, and 25-17.  

UW-Platteville's only other appearance in the round of 16 was in 2010, where the Pioneers were ultimately eliminated from the tournament by coincidently the WashU Bears. 

The Pioneers came out of the gates swinging, jumping out to a 9-3 lead in the first set behind six kills by five different Pioneers. The Bears rallied with a 6-0 run, but UW-Platteville got the advantage right back with a 6-0 run of their own. Junior Kierney McDonald led the set with six kills, including the final kill of the set. 

UW-Platteville held WashU to .032 hitting in the second frame, dominating the second half of the set. After being tied 14-14, senior Emma Carlson's kill sparked a 9-2 run for the Pioneers which also featured back-to-back aces by Carlson and a pair of kills by both sophomore Kennedy Wenger and freshman Brooklyn Radecke. 

After taking a two-set lead, the Bears kept their season alive, running away with the lead to force a fourth set behind an 8-3 run at the end of the third.

The Pioneers finished the match strong, hitting .353 percent in the fourth set. After being tied 3-3, UW-Platteville took the lead behind a kill by Carlson and never looked back. Another kill by Carlson, a pair of kills by junior Kelsey Drake, a block by Drake and Radecke, and a kill by McDonald finished off the match as the Pioneers cruised to victory with a 9-3 run.

UW-Platteville finished the match hitting .221 and held the Bears to .144 hitting. 

Finishing with an incredible match was junior setter Gracie Gibbens who's double-double included 43 assists along with a career-high and match-high 16 digs.

McDonald had a monster day, tying her career high of 19 kills and Carlson also finished with a double-double of 15 kills and 11 digs.  

The Pioneers will face off against regional host UW-Whitewater on Saturday at 5 p.m. The Warhawks advanced to their third consecutive regional championship after sweeping UW-Eau Claire in the second match on Friday.