STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The No. 11 UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (18-2) used a season-high 12 blocks to knock off No. 16 Illinois Wesleyan (10-2) in four sets and added 10 more blocks in a four-set win over Wheaton (4-10) on the final day of the CCIW/WIAC Crossover on Saturday.

Junior Kelly Magliano (Chicago, IL/Mount Assisi Academy) combined for 12 kills over the two matches and added a dozen kills in the win over the Thunder.

Senior Kelly Cefalu (Waunakee, WI/Waunakee) was hitting on all cylinders offensively, leading the Pointers in kills in both matches.  She powered home 17 kills against IWU and 22 more against Wheaton.  Freshman Abby Majercik (Johnsburg, IL/Johnsburg) was busy providing helpers, doling out 47 assists against the Titans and 44 more versus the Thunder.

UWSP 3, Illinois Wesleyan 1 (22-25, 25-20, 25-14, 25-21)
The Pointers found themselves in an 18-8 hole in the first set before an 8-0 run brought UWSP within two.  The visiting Titans were able to take the first set by keeping a couple-point advantage the rest of the set.

Magliano buried an early kill as UWSP jumped ahead 4-0 in set two.  Junior Kendra Kundinger (Auburndale, WI/Auburndale) capped a 4-0 run with one of her three service aces to extend the lead to 14-8.  Sophomore Shannah Carter (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake) added an ace of her own later amid another 4-0 run as the Pointers seized control of the set.

Freshman April Gehl (Hilbert, WI/Hilbert) drilled back-to-back kills to spark a 4-0 run putting the Pointers up 7-4 in the third set.  Gehl added three kills later in the set on consecutive UWSP points including a start to a 6-0 run that put the Pointers in control 24-13.

Gehl and Magliano combined for three-straight kills as the Pointers doubled up on IWU 12-6.  UWSP was able to fend off the Titans' comeback bid and close out the match.

UWSP 3, Wheaton 1 (25-13, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20)
Senior Gabby Thomas (Henderson, MN/LeSueur-Henderson) provided a pair of kills as the Pointers strung a pair of 4-0 runs together to up the lead from 16-10 to a decisive 23-11 lead.

The Pointers overcame a mid-set 18-16 deficit as Cefalu, Gehl and Magliano registered kills to put UWSP in front 21-19.  A kill by freshman Rachel Hein (Muskego, WI/Muskego) swayed the set in favor of UWSP, 23-21, and a Majercik ace followed by a Cefalu kill put the set away.

UWSP kept it close throughout the third set, but were unable to put the match away.  But in the fourth set, the Pointers cut an 8-1 deficit to 12-9 as Cefalu and Gehl added a pair of kills each during the run.  Gehl and Magliano combined for seven kills on UWSP's final seven points to erase the final 19-18 deficit and give the Pointers the match.

The Pointers return to WIAC play on Wednesday with a 7:00 p.m. match versus UW-Whitewater at Berg Gym.