WINONA, Minn. – The seventh-ranked UW-Stevens Point volleyball team made it four straight sweeps to start its season by defeating Lakeland and Saint Mary's (Minn.) by 3-0 scores on day two of the Ground Round Sugar Loaf Classic at Gostomski Fieldhouse.
 
No. 7 UW-Stevens Point 3, Lakeland 0 | Box
 
UW-Stevens Point (3-0) got a career-high 13 kills from Ellen Drewry (Waunakee, WI/Waunakee) and held Lakeland (0-3) to a .038 hitting percentage in winning its first match of the day.
 
Each of the three sets were tight until the Pointers went on late runs to claim each game. In the first, UWSP used a run of six consecutive points to take a 21-14 lead and went on for a 25-19 win.
 
In the second, UW-Stevens Point won five of six points to turn a 17-16 edge into a 22-17 advantage. The Pointers then closed out the third by winning five of six points to go up 24-17.
 
Five players combined for UWSP's 39 kills in the match and freshman Brittany Laffin (Carpentersville, IL/Hampshire) handed out 33 assists. Gabby Thomas (Henderson, MN/LeSueur-Henderson) made a career and team-high 15 digs, while Hannah Picel (West Bend, WI/West Bend West) and Marie Krengel (Eagan, MN/Eastview) were each in double figures with 13 and 11.
 
Lakeland's Caleigh Galvan registered a match-best 25 digs and Brittni Scholes had a team-high seven kills.
 
No. 7 UW-Stevens Point 3, Saint Mary's 0 | Box
 
UW-Stevens Point (4-0) hit a season-best .318 as a team and recorded nine total blocks in a 25-15, 25-17, 25-13 win over host Saint Mary's (3-1).
 
Emma Brunkhorst (Germantown, WI/Germantown) led the way with 10 kills without an error for an attack percentage of .625 and the senior also had seven block assists. Bella Nelson (Luck, WI/Luck) added a season-high nine kills, while Drewry had eight and Kelly Cefalu (Waunakee, WI/Waunakee) pitched in with seven.
 
The Pointers hit .412 in the first set and did not commit their first error until they led 17-8 in the second set. UWSP had just five errors compared to 40 kills in the match.
 
Laffin had 31 assists for her fourth consecutive 30-assist performance to start her career. Picel made a season and match-high 20 digs.
 
Cassidy Bittle led the Cardinals' offense with 12 kills but SMU hit just .100 as a team in the match.

Of UW-Stevens Point's 35 wins since the start of last season, 26 have been by 3-0 scores.

Following the conclusion of the tournament, Laffin and Brunkhorst were named to the seven-player All-Tournament Team. Laffin averaged 12.08 assists per set over the four matches, while Brunkhorst hit .360 and averaged 3.42 kills and 1.25 blocks a set.
 
The Pointers return home to host the UW-Stevens Point Invitational next weekend, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11-12. On Friday, the Pointers play Hamline at 3 p.m. and John Carroll at 7 p.m.