ST. PAUL, Minn. – The UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (1-1) rallied for a 3-1 win over Buena Vista in the season opener and won the first set in a four-set loss at No. 4 Northwestern at the Kathryne Pals Legacy Invitational on Friday.
 
A balanced attack by the Pointers saw seniors Danielle Coleman (Rockford, Ill./Keith Country Day), Kelly Magliano (Chicago, Ill./Mount Assisi Academy) and Morgan Wirkus (Marathon, Wis./Marathon), also with sophomore April Gehl (Hilbert, Wis./Hilbert) all record double-digit kills on day one.  Fellow Senior Kendra Kundinger (Auburndale, Wis./Auburndale) racked up 61 digs and sophomore Abby Majercik (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) recorded 47 assists on the day.
 
Majercik and Wirkus each registered a double-double in the match against fourth-ranked Northwestern.
 
UWSP 3, Buena Vista 1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-15, 26-24)
The Pointers and Beavers battled back-and-forth to a 20-20 tie in the first set.  Buena Vista rallied to score five of the final seven points to take the first set.
 
The second set started with BVU jumping out to a 4-0 lead, but a four-point run with Shannah Carter (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) servicing spurred the Pointers to a 6-5 lead.  A series of mid-set mistakes by Buena Vista gave UWSP a 15-9 edge.  Another four-point spurt pushed the Pointers in front 23-18 and senior Danielle Coleman (Rockford, Ill./Keith Country Day) sealed the first set win of the year with a kill.
 
Three service aces by fellow Kundinger sparked a 6-0 run as UWSP jumped out to a 10-5 lead in set 3.  Gehl had a trio of kills over the course of the set as the Pointers coasted to a second set win.
 
UWSP found itself in a 17-10 whole in the fourth set.  A pair of kills by Magliano and two more by Gehl pulled the Pointers within one.  Gehl added three more kills as the Pointers kept pace.  Wirkus recorded a late-set kill and Magliano ended the match with the decisive kill.
 
UWSP 1, #4 UNW 3 (25-21, 22-25, 16-25, 20-25)
Wirkus piled up seven kills and the Pointers hit .306 to take the first set from the Eagles.  Coleman added a kill and Carter served up an ace as part of the set-closing 5-0 run.
 
Magliano had five kills in the second set including three late to keep UWSP close.  The Eagles used a couple three-point runs to take the set and even the match.
 
The Pointers opened the third set with four-straight points aided by a pair of kills by Gehl.  UNW then went on a 17-2 run en route to a win in the third set.
 
A series of Northwestern errors helped UWSP take a 10-6 lead in the fourth set.  The teams battles back-and-forth to a 20-20 tie late in the set, but UNW won the final five points to seal the match.
 
The Pointers return to action on Saturday to face St. Scholastica at 11:00 a.m. and Loras College at 3:00 p.m.