STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (17-14, 4-3) suffered a straight-set defeat to visiting UW-La Crosse (16-11, 4-3) in the conference finale on Friday.
 
Freshmen Ciara Gilbertson (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) and Emma Peterson (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) led the Pointers.  Gilbertson had a team-high 17 assists for UWSP.  Peterson topped the Pointers with 12 digs.
 
The Pointers got off to a slow start with Tara Emme (St. Nazianz, Wis./Valders) recording the first kill of the match for UWSP. A 6-0 run by the Eagles put the deficit for UWSP at 16-5.  Maddie Lawson (West Allis, Wis./Nathan Hale) and Hailey Jarr (Bloomer, Wis./Bloomer) each had a kill, but the Pointers fell in the opening set, 25-17.
 
April Gehl (Hilbert, Wis./Hilbert) had back-to-back kills in the second set, but UWSP trailed 11-7.  Lawson added a pair of kills, but UWSP was unable to sustain a consistent attack in a 25-16 loss to go down 2-0.
 
Rachel Hein (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) had two kills as the Pointers clung to a one-point edge for most of the third set.  Later, Gehl had consecutive kills for an 18-16 lead.  After a 4-0 run by UWL, a Lawson ace tied the set at 21-21. Down set point, Gilbertson had a block and a kill to even the set at 24-24.  A Jarr kill gave UWSP set point, but the Eagles scored three-straight to end the set, 27-25, and take the match.
 
UWSP closes out the regular season on Saturday (Oct. 27) at 2:00 p.m. against Carthage.  The Lady Reds and UWL play in Berg Gym at 12:00 p.m. ahead of the Pointers' Senior Day.