STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The No. 6 UW-Stevens Point volleyball team swept Hamline and battled past John Carroll in five sets to remain unbeaten on the first day of the Pointer Invitational on Friday at Berg Gym.

No. 6 UW-Stevens Point 3, Hamline 0 | Box

Bella Nelson (Luck, WI/Luck), Ellen Drewry (Waunakee, WI/Waunakee) and Emma Brunkhorst (Germantown, WI/Germantown) each had eight kills to lead UW-Stevens Point (6-0) to a win in its opener. The Pointers' defense held Hamline (4-4) to an attack percentage of just .032 in the match.

Hannah Picel (West Bend, WI/West Bend West) led the defensive effort with a match-high 23 digs, while Bri Piepenbrok (Merrill, WI/Merrill) and Marie Krengel (Eagan, MN/Eastview) each added nine. The Pointers held a 12-6 edge in blocks, led by six total blocks each by Drewry and Brunkhorst.

Brittany Laffin (Carpentersville, IL/Hampshire) had 28 assists for the Pointers. Julia Zolnosky led the Pipers with nine kills, while five Hamline players tallied at least 10 digs.

The win was UW-Stevens Point's fifth consecutive sweep to start the season.

No. 6 UW-Stevens Point 3, John Carroll 2 | Box

UW-Stevens Point recovered from a 9-7 deficit in the decisive fifth set to defeat John Carroll (2-5).

With John Carroll leading 9-7 in the fifth, the Pointers went on a 6-0 run to lead 13-9 after a block by Gabby Thomas (Henderson, MN/LeSueur-Henderson) and Brunkhorst. The Blue Streaks responded by winning three straight points to get right back within one at 13-12.

UW-Stevens Point got a match point after an attack error and then closed it out on another block by Thomas and Brunkhorst. The Pointers outblocked the Blue Streaks 16-7.

Brunkhorst led the Pointers with 14 kills, while Drewry had 13 and Nelson and Thomas each had 12. Laffin recorded career-highs with 48 assists and 22 digs, while Picel made a season-best 43 digs.

Piepenbrok's 26 digs were a career-high for the junior. Brunkhorst was in on 12 total blocks.

John Carroll won the first set 25-20 before UW-Stevens Point won the next two by identical 25-19 scores. The Blue Streaks forced the match the distance by taking the fourth 28-26.

Alexa Webber had a match-high 17 kills for John Carroll and Sarah Orlandi had 15. Kit O'Shaughnessy had 47 assists and Katie Cosker made a team-high 30 digs.

On day two of the tournament, the Pointers take on Bethel at noon and Concordia-Moorhead at 4 p.m.