2001 Volleyball Season in Review
Kaiser, Shields earn more honors
UW-Platteville's Brooke Kaiser and Kristen Shields earned two more volleyball honors.
Kaiser, a senior from Warren, Ill, earned all-Midwest Region honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). It is the second straight year Kaiser has won that honor.
Shields, a senior from Montfort (Iowa-Grant High School), was named to the third team Verizon Academic All-District V Team.
They led the Pioneers to a 24-10 record, and both were named to the all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team.
Kaiser became the Pioneers' all-time leader in hitting percentage at .323. She led the Pioneers this season with 381 kills and 140 blocks.
Shields became the Pioneers' all-time leader in kills with 1,384, service aces with 208 and digs with 1,973. She also has a 3.73 cumulative grade-point average with majors in business and marketing/advertising. The Verizon District V team is comprised of all non-Division I student-athletes from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota.
| All-Midwest Region Team | |||
| Katie Carrier | St. Norbert College | OH | Sr. |
| Kristy Dettman | UW-Whitewater | S | Jr. |
| Allison Erickson **** | UW-Whitewater | RS/Opp | Sr. |
| Melinda Erickson *** | UW-Whitewater | OH | Sr. |
| Jen Frantz ** | Elmhurst College | OH | Sr. |
| Jessie Goffard | UW-Oshkosh | OH | Sr. |
| Tiffany Hamblin | Illinois Wesleyan University | S | Jr. |
| Brooke Kaiser ** | Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville | MB | Sr. |
| Kristi Kujak | UW-Oshkosh | MB | Jr. |
| Kiersten Madden | Augustana College (Illinois) | S | Sr. |
| Christina Southward *** | UW-Oshkosh | S | Sr. |
| Angie Wildish | UW-Whitewater | OH | Jr. |
*=Repeat winners
Posted 11/6/01
Kaiser, Shields are all-WIAC again
UW-Platteville's Brooke Kaiser earned all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first team volleyball honors, while teammate Kristen Shields was an honorable mention selection.
They led the Pioneers to a 24-10 record and a national ranking as high as 11th early in the year.
Kaiser, who transferred to UWP last year, earned her second straight all-conference honor. She led the league in blocks at 1.25 per game while ranking fifth in hitting percentage and ninth in kills. The senior middle hitter from Warren, Ill. became the Pioneers' all-time leader in hitting percentage at .323. She is the first person in UWP history to surpass .300 hitting for a career that included more than 1,000 attack attempts.
Shields, a senior from Montfort (Iowa-Grant High School), rewrote the Pioneer record books during her four-year career. She became the Pioneers' all-time leader in kills with 1,384, service aces with 208 and digs with 1,973. Shields earned three consecutive all-WIAC honorable mention selections. She finished third in the league in digs and 10th in both kills and service aces.
The complete team can be found at the WIAC page.
Posted 10/31/01
Pioneers fall to Warhawks
It's hard enough to play the number one ranked team in the country. It's even harder when that team is angry.
UW-Whitewater, the nation's top-ranked NCAA III volleyball team, lost the top seed in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoffs when UW-Oshkosh upset the Warhawks last Wednesday. UW-Platteville had the misfortune to open the playoffs at UWW Tuesday, and the Warhawks posted a 30-23, 30-12, 30-13 victory.
The Warhawks improved to 29-2 overall and will advance to the WIAC Final Four Friday and Saturday. The Pioneers ended a fine season at 24-10.
Brooke Kaiser paced the Pioneer attack with nine kills, while Kristen Shields added 12 digs, and Kari Klaas recorded three blocks.
The loss ends an outstanding run for six seniors who have contributed greatly to the Pioneers' success over the past four years. Jenny Bazala, Lindsey Block, Kristin Henke, Kaiser, Klaas and Shields compiled a four-year record of 88-46, winning 20 or more matches in three of those four years. During the process, they rewrote the Pioneer record book and set a standard of excellence for future classes.
Posted 10/27/01
Pioneers win North Central Invite
The UW-Platteville volleyball team won the team title at the North Central Pumpkinball Tournament, winning all four matches over two days.
The Pioneers defeated Illinois College 26-30, 30-18, 30-23, 30-28 and Millikin 30-28, 30-23, 32-30 Friday then beat St. Norbert 30-22, 30-21, 36-34 and North Central 30-28, 30-21, 30-23.
UWP tied Benedictine for the title at 4-0, but the Pioneers earned the championship by having a 12-1 record in total games, as opposed to the Eagles' 12-4.
Both Brooke Kaiser and Kristen Shields were named to the six-person all-tournament team. Kaiser hit a sizzling .398, with 53 kills and just 10 errors. She also recorded a team-high 17 blocks. Shields hit .262 with 47 kills and led the team with 60 digs.
Lindsey Block chipped in with 40 kills, while Kari Klaas had 36 kills and 10 blocks. Joanna Carlson was credited with 151 kills, an average of 11.6 per game.
The Pioneers will take a 24-9 record into the first round of Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoffs Tuesday. The Pioneers face UW-Whitewater, the nation's top seed who tied UW-Oshkosh for the league championship but lost the tie-breaker in head-to-head competition. Game time in Whitewater Tuesday is 7 p.m.
Posted 10/23/01
Pioneers win #20 on Senior Night
The UW-Platteville volleyball team celebrated Senior Night by claiming victory #20, the 11th time in Coach Deb Schulman's 14 years the Pioneers have reached that number.
The Pioneers beat Beloit College 30-18, 30-14, 30-24, improving to 20-9 overall. The Buccaneers fell to 3-24.
Before the match, the Pioneers saluted the careers of their six seniors and introduced them and their parents. Jenny Bazala, Lindsey Block, Kristin Henke, Brooke Kaiser, Kari Klaas and Kristen Shields, who have a 84-45 record, played their final games in Williams Fieldhouse.
Shields led the Pioneers with nine kills, while Kaiser and Block had eight. The seniors played the first two games, then the underclassmen took over in game three.
The Pioneers close their regular season this weekend at the North Central Invitational in Naperville, Ill.
Posted 10/20/01
Pioneers swat Yellowjackets
The long drive to UW-Superior was worth it for the UW-Platteville volleyball team, which beat the host Yellowjackets 30-9, 30-25, 30-16.
The Pioneers improved to 19-9 overall and 2-6 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Yellowjackets fell to 7-17, 0-6. The Pioneers finished seventh in league play and know they will face host and second-seeded UW-Whitewater when the WIAC playoffs begin Oct. 30.
The Pioneers have one more home game remaining, Tuesday vs. Beloit College at 7 p.m. Seniors Jenny Bazala, Lindsey Block, Kristin Henke, Brooke Kaiser, Kari Klaas and Kristen Shields will be saluted before the game. They have helped the Pioneers to a four-year record of 83-45.
Kaiser led the Pioneers Saturday with 14 kills and just one error in 23 attempts for a .565 hitting percentage. Block added nine kills, while both Shields and Katie Shookman had four serving aces.
Posted 10/19/01
UWP loses in Eau Claire
UW-Eau Claire beat UW-Platteville 30-22, 30-28, 30-25 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Friday night in Eau Claire.
The Blugolds improved to 20-6 overall and 4-3 in the WIAC, while the Pioneers fell to 18-9, 1-6.
Lindsey Block led UWP with 13 kills, and Brooke Kaiser added 9 kills and 5 blocks. Kristen Shields recorded 13 digs.
The Pioneers continue their northern swing Saturday with a noon match at UW-Superior. They close their home schedule Tuesday at 7 p.m. vs. Beloit College.
Posted 10/17/01
It's academic for Pioneers
Before Wednesday's home volleyball match with UW-Stevens Point, UW-Platteville received its Molten/AVCA Academic Award for having a team g.p.a. of 3.41. Once the match started, the Pioneers showed they're pretty good on the court, too.
The Pioneers dispatched the Pointers in three games, 30-23, 30-17, 30-28, improving to 18-8 overall. UWP also earned its first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win of the year after five tough losses. The visiting Pointers fell to 6-15, 1-6.
UW-Platteville was just one of 24 teams out of the nearly 400 who play NCAA Division III volleyball to earn the prestigious academic award. Chancellor David Markee presented the plaque to last year's tri-captains, seniors Kristen Shields and Kari Klaas and the graduated Erin Esser.
Business major Brooke Kaiser led the team with 13 kills, while criminal justice major Lindsey Block had 11 kills and just one error. Business major Shields added 9 kills, while math education major Jenny Bazala made seven. Communications major Kristen Henke had a team-high 13 digs, while Kaiser had three blocks, and Block and industrial engineering major Klaas each had two assisted blocks. Freshman Joanna Carlson, an accounting and criminal justice double major, tallied 40 assists.
The Pioneers play at UW-Eau Claire Friday and UW-Superior Saturday before closing their home schedule Tuesday vs. Beloit College.
Posted 10/12/01
Pioneers get back on winning track
The UW-Platteville volleyball team got back on the winning track with a pair of victories Friday at Williams Fieldhouse.
The Pioneers beat Luther 30-20, 20-30, 30-22, 30-22 and Clarke 30-13, 30-13, 30-18 to halt a four-game losing skid. The Pioneers improved to 17-8 with the victories.
Lindsey Block led the Pioneers vs. Luther with 16 kills and just one hitting error. Kristen Shields added 13 kills and 26 digs, while Brooke Kaiser registered 12 kills. Freshman setter Joanna Carlson had 49 assists and 13 digs.
All the Pioneers saw plenty of action against Clarke, holding the visitors to a -.139 hitting percentage. Block had 8 kills for the Pioneers, who hit .341.
Luther beat Clarke 3-0 in the other match, as the Norse improved to 15-10. The Crusaders left with a 3-19 record.
The Pioneers play host to UW-Stevens Point Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Posted 10/10/01
Titans topple Pioneers
Host UW-Oshkosh, ranked 18th in NCAA III, beat 26th-ranked UW-Platteville 30-18, 30-18, 30-16 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference volleyball action Wednesday.
The Titans hit .328 to the Pioneers' .071 and had 10 service aces. UWO improved to 18-3 overall and 4-1 in the WIAC, while the Pioneers fell to 15-7, 0-5.
The Pioneers will look to regroup Friday when they play host to a triangular. The Pioneers face Luther at 4 p.m. and Clarke at 8 p.m. in Williams Fieldhouse. (The two visiting teams face each other at 6 p.m.)
Posted 10/6/01
Pioneers fall to Blue Devils at Homecoming
By Kristin Henke, Sports Information Student Assistant
The UW-Platteville Pioneers were defeated Saturday afternoon by the UW-Stout Blue Devils in three games 28-30, 22-30, 27-30 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
Jenny Bazala led the Pioneer attackers with 9 kills. Lindsey Block, Kari Klaas, Kristen Shields and Brooke Kaiser each had 8 kills.
UW-Platteville is on the road to take on UW-Oshkosh Wednesday in more WIAC conference action.
Posted 10/5/01
Falcons come back to beat UWP
UWRF won the match 30-25, 29-31, 27-30, 30-21, 15-11. UW-River Falls rallied to beat host UW-Platteville three games to two in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference volleyball action Friday.
The Falcons overcame a 2-1 deficit in games and then a 6-1 margin in game five for the win. UWRF improved to 10-11 overall, 3-1 in the WIAC. The Pioneers fell to 15-6, 0-3.
Jenny Bazala and Brooke Kaiser each had 15 kills, while Kristen Shields had 14 and Lindsey Block 12 for the Pioneers. Shields added 32 digs, and Kaiser recorded 8 blocks.
The Pioneers are right back in action Saturday noon vs. UW-Stout in Williams Fieldhouse.
Posted 10/3/01
Record crowd watches UWP vs. UWL
UW-Platteville packed in its largest volleyball crowd in Williams Fieldhouse history, but UW-La Crosse spoiled the show with a 3-1 upset of the Pioneers Wednesday night.
A new UWP-record 1,036 fans attended the annual Homecoming Yell Match, breaking the mark of 933, set last year.
UW-La Crosse played nearly errorless ball the first two games, winning 30-24 and 30-11. The Eagles committed just four hitting errors in those contests. The Pioneers rallied to take game three 30-28, but the Eagles prevented a game five with a 30-28 victory in game four to close the match.
The Pioneers, ranked 14th in this week's NCAA III poll, fell to 15-5 overall and 0-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Eagles improved to 9-10, 2-1.
UW-Platteville returns to the Williams Fieldhouse floor again this weekend with a Friday match vs. UW-River Falls at 7 p.m. and a Saturday contest with UW-Stout at noon.
Posted 9/25/01
Pioneers third at Wartburg
UW-Platteville finished third out of five teams at a strong Wartburg College Invitational Friday and Saturday.
The Pioneers lost to eventual champion Bethel 27-30, 30-32, 27-30 and beat Nebraska Wesleyan 30-23, 30-25, 30-25 Friday. On Saturday, ninth-ranked Wartburg beat the 11th-ranked Pioneers 26-30, 25-30, 30-24, 24-30. The Pioneers then rebounded to beat UW-La Crosse 25-30, 30-26, 33-31 and 30-18.
Brooke Kaiser was named to the six-person all-tournament team. The senior middle hitter from Warren, Ill. recorded 54 kills, 55 digs and 18 blocks.
Kari Klaas led the blocking effort with 28 and in the process became the school's all-time leader in assisted blocks. Klaas, a senior middle hitter from Iowa-Grant High School, now has 285, surpassing the previous mark of 267 established by Heather Hackl in 1993-97.
Kristen Shields added 46 kills over the weekend, while Lindsey Block had 32 and Jenny Bazala 31. Megan Dankert and Joanna Carson led in assists with 67 and 41, respectively.
The Pioneers face UW-La Crosse again Wednesday in WIAC action. UW-Platteville will attempt to break its own volleyball attendance record at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3 during the annual Homecoming Yell Contest. Last year, the homecoming match attracted 933 fans, which was the largest regular-season crowd in all of NCAA Division III.
Posted 9/25/01
#11 UWP falls to #5 UWW
The good news for the UW-Platteville volleyball team Wednesday is the Pioneers found out right before they left on their road trip that they had risen to #11 in the national polls. The bad news was that road trip took them to UW-Whitewater, ranked fifth nationally.
The Warhawks beat the Pioneers 30-23, 30-23 and 30-18, snapping UW-Platteville's 13-match winning streak.
The Pioneers fell to 13-2 overall and 0-1 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. The Warhawks improved to 9-1, 2-0.
Kristen Shields paced the Pioneer attack with 11 kills, while Kari Klaas ad Brooke Kaiser each had seven. Shields and Katie Shookman each had 18 defensive digs, with Shookman adding 21 assists. The Warhawks, who were the national runners-up last year, outhit the Pioneers .261 to .059.
The road gets no easier this weekend for the Pioneers, who play at the Wartburg Invitational. The hosts are ranked ninth nationally.
UW-Platteville will attempt to break its own volleyball attendance record at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3 during the annual Homecoming Yell Contest. The Pioneers, currently ranked 13th in the country, will host Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival UW-La Crosse at William Fieldhouse.
Last year, the homecoming match attracted 933 fans, which was the largest regular-season crowd in all of NCAA Division III. The Pioneers expect at least 500 students in attendance for the yell contest, during which the different groups compete for homecoming points. Those attending the match are strongly encouraged to wear their orange and blue to show their school spirit. In addition to the match, the athletic department is giving away pizza prizes to the groups showing the most spirit.
Posted 9/22/01
Pioneers win invite title
The UW-Platteville volleyball team steamrolled through its own invitational, winning the title and setting up a huge showdown at UW-Whitewater Wednesday.
The Pioneers, ranked 13th in NCAA III, improved to 13-1 after straight-game wins over Aurora and Loras. The Pioneers beat Aurora 30-14, 30-25, 30-16 and Loras 30-21, 30-18, 30-28.
UWP now faces UW-Whitewater, last year's national runner-up who is currently ranked fourth in the country. Both squads will come in once-beaten, both by top-ranked Washington (Mo.) Game time Wednesday at UWW is 7 p.m.
Three Pioneers made the all-tournament team: Kristen Shields, who broke the school record with her 186th career serving ace against Aurora; Lindsey Block, who hit .301 for the weekend; and Kari Klaas, who hit .300.
The Pioneers outhit their opponents by a whopping .258 to .040 and recorded 35 blocks to their opponents' 15. Brooke Kaiser totalled 17 blocks in 10 games played, while Klaas had 10. Megan Dankert recorded 60 assists, Katie Shookman 54 and Joanna Carlson 38.
UW-Platteville Volleyball Invitational
Sept. 21-22, 2001Williams Fieldhouse
Friday's Results
UW-Platteville def. Clarke, 30-13, 30-12, 30-16
UW-Platteville def. Lakeland, 30-18, 28-30, 30-27, 30-14
Loras def. Aurora, 30-24, 30-23, 30-21
Loras def. Lakeland, 30-28, 28-30, 28-30, 30-27, 15-10
Aurora def. Clarke, 30-19, 26-30, 30-21, 30-15
Saturday's Results
UW-Platteville def. Aurora 30-14, 30-25, 30-16
Lakeland def. Clarke 30-23, 30-16, 30-21
Lakeland def. Aurora 30-20, 30-21, 30-26
Loras def. Clarke 30-22, 30-17, 30-18
UW-Platteville def. Loras 30-21, 30-18, 30-28
Final Standings
UW-Platteville 4-0, Loras 3-1, Lakeland 2-2, Aurora 1-3, Clarke 0-4
All-Tournament Team
Kristen Shields, UW-Platteville
Lindsey Block, UW-Platteville
Kari Klaas, UW-Platteville
Sara Tropp, Loras
Shannon Leonard, Loras
Kim Wooster, Lakeland
Current Records
UW-Platteville 13-1, Loras 10-6, Aurora 3-12, Lakeland 8-6, Clarke 0-8
Posted 9/21/01
Pioneers win twice in invite
The UW-Platteville volleyball team won two matches at its own invitational Friday, running its winning streak to 11.
The 13th-ranked Pioneers beat Clarke 30-13, 30-12, 30-16 and Lakeland 30-18, 28-30, 30-17, 30-14.
The Pioneers outhit Clarke .305 to -.105, as all 15 players saw extensive action. The underclassmen played the final two games.
In the nightcap, the Pioneers again outhit their opponent by a large margin, .244 to .050. Kristen Shields led the way with 12 kills, while Brooke Kaiser added 11 and Lindsey Block 10. Kaiser also had eight blocks, and Kari Klaas recorded seven.
The 11-1 Pioneers play Aurora at 10 a.m. and Loras at 2 p.m.
Posted 9/20/01
Pioneers ranked 13th
The UW-Platteville volleyball team is ranked 13th in NCAA Division III, according to the first national poll, released Wednesday.
The Pioneers are 9-1 with their only loss to top-ranked Washington (Mo.) in the season opener.
UWP plays host to the UW-Platteville Invitational Friday and Saturday. The Pioneers play Clarke at 4 p.m. and Lakeland at 8 p.m. Friday. The next day, they face Aurora at 10 a.m. and Loras at 2 p.m.
Next week, the Pioneers play at UW-Whitewater Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Warhawks, the defending national runners-up, are ranked fourth. UWP then travels to a tournament Sept. 28-29 at Wartburg, who is ranked ninth.
| Rank | School | First-Place Votes | Points | Record | Last Poll |
| 1 | Washington, Mo. | (12) | 294 | 12-0 | 4 |
| 2 | Elmhurst | (4) | 283 | 11-0 | 13 |
| 3 | Central | 275 | 7-2 | 1 | |
| 4 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 270 | 6-1 | 2 | |
| 5 | Mount Saint Joseph | 256 | 8-0 | 10 | |
| 6 | Emory | 204 | 9-1 | 11 | |
| 7 | Juniata | 202 | 5-3 | 3 | |
| 8 | Whitworth | 187 | 9-1 | NR | |
| 9 | Wartburg | 172 | 7-1 | 17 | |
| 10 | St. Olaf | 154 | 9-0 | 16 | |
| 11 | Trinity University | 142 | 8-3 | 6 | |
| 12 | Wittenberg | 135 | 7-2 | 14 | |
| 13 | Wisconsin-Platteville | 106 | 9-1 | NR | |
| 14 | Ohio Northern | 75 | 8-5 | 9 | |
| 15 | Nazareth | 74 | 13-0 | NR | |
| 16 | George Fox | 73 | 7-1 | NR | |
| 17 | Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 61 | 8-0 | 15 | |
| 18 | Baldwin-Wallace | 55 | 16-0 | NR | |
| 19 | La Verne | 53 | 1-0 | 7 | |
| 20 | Catholic | 43 | 9-0 | NR |
Posted 9/13/01
Pioneers beat Augustana in five games
| The team's sing "God Bless America" before the start. |
UW-Platteville beat Augustana College Thursday night in a volleyball match between two of the region's better teams.
The Pioneers won their ninth straight match, improving to 9-1 overall, with the 30-17, 18-30, 20-30, 30-25, 15-11 win in Williams Fieldhouse. The Vikings fell to 6-2 with the loss.
Before the match, both teams joined hands at center court, and led by UWP track and field star Julie Korish, sang "God Bless America."
The Pioneers quickly dispatched of the visitors in game one, then dropped the next two games. The Pioneers rallied to win game four, then led throughout most of game five for the victory.
Kristen Shields led the Pioneers with 15 kills, while Brooke Kaiser had 14 kills. Lindsey Block added 10 kills with just one error and ended the match with a solo block at the net.
The Pioneers are now off until Sept. 21-22, when they play host to five teams and the UW-Platteville Invitational.
Posted 9/10/01
Kaiser earns conference honor
UW-Platteville's Brooke Kaiser earned the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference volleyball player of the week award.
Kaiser, a senior from Warren, Ill., was named to the All-Tournament Team after leading the Pioneers to the title of the UW-Platteville Invitational. The Pioneers defeated Benedictine, UW-River Falls, Dubuque and North Central to claim the championship.
Kaiser hit 17-3-35 in the straight games win over eighth-ranked UW-River Falls. In 18 games on the week, she had 74 digs, 59 kills, eight service aces and two assists. The Pioneers had a 5-0 record last week to improve to 8-1 on the season.
The Pioneers play Augustana at Williams Fieldhouse on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Posted 9/8/01
Pioneers win tournament title
By Kristin HenkeThe UW-Platteville Pioneers win their own tourney fighting off the Cardinals of North Central in five games Saturday afternoon. UW-Platteville struggled to take the first game (27-30) but rallied back in the second game (30-15) to tie the match 1-1. Platteville let the third game slip away (27-30), but came together to win their last two games (30-25,17-15) giving Platteville the tournament title. Kristen Shields led the Pioneer attacking with 17 kills, Brooke Kaiser had 15 and Lindsey Block finished with 10. Katie Shookman kept the offense running with 20 assists.
UWP also defeated the University of Dubuque earlier in the day in four games (30-16, 21-30, 30-27, 30-28). Shields led the team with 14 kills while Kaiser had 10 kills and 27 digs.
The Pioneers finished 4-0 in the tournament, while UW-La Crosse, Benedictine, and UW-River Falls left 2-2. Dubuque and North Central ended both 1-3.
UW-Platteville improves to 8-1 record overall. Platteville takes on Augustana Thursday September 14th at the Williams Fieldhouse.
Tournament ScoresPosted 9/7/01
Shields leads Pioneers past #8 Falcons
| Kristen Shields ties the school record on this kill. |
Kristen Shields broke the UW-Platteville career record for kills during the Pioneers' 3-0 victory over UW-River Falls, ranked eighth in the nation in the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll.
Shields, a senior from Montfort (Iowa-Grant High School), recorded a kill on the first point of the second game, breaking the UW-Platteville record of 1,137. She finished the match with 14 kills in the Pioneers' 30-23, 30-28, 31-29 victory over #8 UW-River Falls. She broke the school record of 1,137 set by Heather Hackl in 1993-97.
The Pioneers, who were ranked 31st in the national preseason poll, improved to 6-1 on the year, while the Falcons fell to 5-2.
The Pioneers beat Benedictine (Ill.) 3-0 during Friday's first round of the UW-Platteville Tournament. That game was also marked with an individual milestone. Lindsey Block, a senior from Brookfield, Wis. (East) became just the fifth Pioneer to record 1,000 career kills. The Pioneers won the match 30-18, 30-24, 30-25.
UWP concludes the tournament tomorrow with games against Dubuque at 10 a.m. and North Central at 2 p.m.
Posted 9/6/01
UWP wins home opener
The UW-Platteville volleyball team swept St. Ambrose in three games to win its 2001 home opener Wednesday night.
The Pioneers beat the Bees 30-21, 30-13 and 30-28, improving to 4-1 on the year. St. Ambrose fell to 2-2.
Lindsey Block led the Pioneers with 11 kills, moving to within four of becoming just the fifth player in school history to reach 1,000. Kristen Shields added six kills and needs 14 more to become the all-time UWP leader in that category. She currently has 1,124. Brooke Kaiser and Kari Klaas each added seven kills Wednesday, with Kaiser leading the team with six blocks and Klaas close behind with five.
The Pioneers return to the Williams Fieldhouse floor Friday (beginning and 4 p.m.) and Saturday (starting at 10 a.m.) for their own tournament.
Posted 9/2/01
Pioneers win twice in tourney
The UW-Platteville volleyball team won two matches Sunday to finish 3-1 at the Thomas More Invitational in Kentucky.
The Pioneers beat the host school 3-0 and stopped Denison Ohio 3-1. Individual game scores and statistics were not immediately available due to a bad fax transmission.
UWP has its home opener Wednesday at 7 p.m. vs. St. Ambrose.
Posted 9/1/01
Pioneers split matches in Kentucky
After losing to highly-ranked Washington U. (Mo.), the UW-Platteville volleyball team came back to whip Indiana University-Southeast during the first day of the two-day Thomas More (Ky.) Invitational Saturday.
Washington U., who finished third nationally last fall, beat the Pioneers 30-24, 30-20 and 30-21. The Pioneers bounced back to beat IU-Southeast 30-23, 30-18, 25-30, 30-19. (Today's matches were the first played under the new scoring system, where a point is awarded each play with no more sideouts.)
Kristen Shields paced the attack in the second match with 20 kills, while Brooke Kaiser added 14, and Kari Klaas had 13. The Pioneers hit .315 as a team, paced by Shields' .447.
Posted 8/28/01
Pioneers set to begin play
The UWP volleyball team, which returns five starters from last year's 25-9 team, will be tested right off the bat in the Thomas More (Ky.) tournament. The Pioneers face Washington U. (Mo.), who placed third in the nation last fall and finished 34-5. The Pioneers have four matches scheduled in the Thomas More tournament Saturday and Sunday.
Last year, UW-Platteville had the largest NCAA Division III volleyball crowd in the country when 933 people watched the Pioneers battle UW-Whitewater. With five starters returning from a 25-9 team, the Pioneers hope to give those fans plenty more to cheer about.
The Pioneers return all-region hitter Brooke Kaiser. A former Division I starter at Southeastern Louisiana, Kaiser set a new Pioneer record by hitting .335 last fall and registered the fourth-highest single-match attack percentage in NCAA III history with .875 vs. Ripon. She is joined in the middle by Kari Klaas, a three-year starter who already has 286 career blocks.
Two-time all-league player Kristen Shields and Lindsey Block both will be starting for their fourth years on the outside. With 1,062 kills, Shields should easily break the school record of 1,137. She also ranks third in career aces (163) and digs (1485). Block, a right-side hitter, also should surpass 1,000 career kills.
Megan Dankert returns after starting as a setter during her sophomore year. Senior hitter Jennifer Bazala and defensive specialist Kristin Henke provide experience and leadership while competing for playing time.
The Pioneers are coached by Deb Schulman, who has a 327-169 record in her previous 13 seasons.