WHITEWATER, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point volleyball team's toughness powered the Pointers (15-9) to a split on the final day of the UWW Dig Panici Classic.  UWSP took St. Thomas (16-6) to five sets in a defeat to open the day.  The Pointers rallied for a four-set win over Luther (9-13) to close out the weekend.
 
Junior April Gehl (Hilbert, Wis./Hilbert) continued to showcase her all-around game with two more double-doubles.   She began her day with 25 digs and 17 kills against the Tommies.  In the second match, she led all players with 24 kills and 22 digs.  Gehl was named to the All-Tournament Team for her play this weekend.
 
Sophomore Ellie Adams (Racine, Wis./William Horlick) also had double-doubles in both matches on Saturday.  She had 60 assists and 18 digs against UST.  Versus Luther, she added 52 assists and 10 digs.
 
Tara Emme (St. Nazianz, Wis./Valders) and Maddie Lawson (West Allis, Wis./Nathan Hale) both had double-digit kills in both matches on Saturday.  Emme had 14 kills in each match on Saturday.  Lawson had 16 versus UST and 11 more against the Norse.
 
UWSP 2, UST 3 (25-23, 20-25, 22-25, 25-21, 12-15)
Gehl sandwiched an Adams ace as UWSP moved ahead 11-7 in the first set.  Emme buried a trio of kills as the lead grew to 17-12.  Gehl ripped four kills later in the set and two-straight miscues by UST gave UWSP a set one victory.
 
Emme and Lawson bookended a 5-1 run as UWSP took a 14-11 lead in the second set.  The Tommies responded with a 4-0 run and used the momentum to event the match at one set apiece.
 
An early 5-0 run by UST set the tone in the third set.  Hailey Jarr (Bloomer, Wis./Bloomer) got a kill and Gehl served up an ace as UWSP got within 11-10.  Late in the set, four kills by Lawson capped a 5-1 run to pull the Pointers close at 23-22, but UST finished off the set with consecutive kills.
 
Jarr and Emme each had a kill in a 5-0 spurt to give the Pointers a 10-4 lead.  Later Madyson Schroeder (Green Bay, Wis./Bayport) served up an ace to give UWSP set point.  Lawson capped the set with a kill to send it to the decisive fifth set.
 
Lawson and Jarr began the set with kills to push UWSP ahead 3-1.  The teams traded points until a three-point swing by UST put the Pointers behind 9-6.  Gehl and Jarr combined for three kills to pull UWSP within 12-10, but UST was too much in the end and wrapped up the five-set win.
 
UWSP 3, Luther 1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Gehl had a trio of kills as the Pointers used a 6-1 run to rally in front, 10-9.  Luther responded with a 7-2 spurt and UWSP trailed the remainder of the first set.
 
A see-saw second set swayed in favor of the Pointers with a four-point run that included a kill from Emme and an ace from Emma Peterson (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) for a 22-19 lead.  Emme added another kill and Gehl finished the set win with one of her own.
 
The Pointers trailed most of the third set, but a 5-0 run with two Gehl kills and an ace from Gehl put UWSP ahead 19-16.  Emme, Lawson and Rachel Hein (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) powered four-straight kills to set up set point.  Gehl finished off the set with a kill.
 
Gehl and Emme combined for four kills to give UWSP a 9-5 advantage in the fourth set.  Emme had three kills and a block as the lead grew to 14-9.  The Pointers kept the lead the remainder of the set to take the match in four sets.
 
UWSP returns to conference play with a road match at UW-Oshkosh on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.