WHITEWATER, Wis. – Senior Kelly Cefalu (Waunakee, WI/Waunakee) had a career-high 28 kills and the UW-Stevens Point volleyball team erased a two-set deficit, but fell in five sets in a rematch with No. 16 Elmhurst in the first match of the day before sweeping Loras College () to wrap up the weekend at the Dig Panici Classic in Whitewater, Wis.

Cefalu buried a career-high 28 kills in the opening match against Elmhurst and had 35 kills on the day.  Fellow senior Gabby Thomas (Henderson, MN/LeSueur-Henderson) added 21 kills for the Pointers.

Bri Piepenbrok (Merrill, WI/Merrill) had 47 digs over the two matches and sits just a few digs shy of becoming just the sixth player in school history with 600 digs in a season.  Freshman Abby Majercik (Johnsburg, IL/Johnsburg) piled up 67 assists on the day.

UWSP 2, Elmhurst 3 (22-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 8-15)
After falling into a 6-0 hole to open the match, five mid-set kills by Cefalu gave the Pointers an 11-10 lead.  Later in the first set, Cefalu sandwiches a Marie Krengel (Eagan, MN/Eastview) ace with kills to knot the set at 19-19.  But after a 22-all tie, Elmhurst took the first set with three successive points.

The Bluejays gradually built a tenuous lead in the second set as neither team put together a string of more than three consecutive points.

Down two set to none, the Pointers faced a 16-10 deficit in the third set before a 4-0 run sparked a turnaround.  Freshman April Gehl (Hilbert, WI/Hilbert) and junior Kelly Magliano (Chicago, IL/Mount Assisi Academy) had consecutive kills to level the set at 19-19.  After a 4-0 run, Cefalu finished off the set win with kills on the final three points for UWSP.

After falling behind in the fourth set, a 7-0 run propelled the Pointers in front 10-8.  Thomas added six kills in the set including the final point to send the match to a fifth set.  In the fifth set, Elmhurst hit .450 to power past UWSP for the match victory.

UWSP 3, Loras 0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-16)
Junior Kendra Kundinger (Auburndale, WI/Auburndale) served up three aces as part of a 10-0 run as the Pointers rolled to an opening set win.

A pair of Cefalu kills launched a 4-0 lead in set two for UWSP.  Kundinger had a couple more aces as a 6-0 run opened a 13-7 lead for the Pointers.  Freshman Jamie Schmitz (Cashton, WI/Cashton) picked up her first two career kills to close out the set.

Thomas had three early kills in the third set to give UWSP a 9-5 lead.  After Loras rallied to take a one-point lead, the Pointers reeled off six-straight points to jump back in front 18-13.  A late 5-0 run put the Pointers on the brink of a sweep which was completed a few points later.

UWSP returns to Berg Gym for Senior Night on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. versus Concordia (Wis.).