ST. PAUL, Minn. – Senior
April Gehl (Hilbert, Wis./Hilbert) had a pair of double-doubles on Saturday, but the UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (10-3) split on the day at the Bethel Invitational. UWSP rolled past Luther (3-7) in straight set in the first match and dropped a five-setter, 3-2, to St. Olaf (11-1).
Against the Norse, Gehl hit .583 with 15 kills and 10 digs. She added 18 kills and 12 digs against the Oles for her sixth-straight double-double.
Ellie Adams (Racine, Wis./William Horlick) also had a double-double against St. Olaf with 45 assists and 10 digs.
Emma Peterson (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) led UWSP with 16 digs against the Oles and
Katie Albrecht (West Bend, Wis./East) added 12 digs.
UWSP 3, Luther 0 (25-11, 25-16, 25-13)
Three kills by Gehl in a 5-0 run pushed the Pointers ahead, 14-4, in an easy set one win.
Tara Emme (St. Nazianz, Wis./Valders) had a kill and a service ace in a 10-0 run in the second set to break a 4-4 tie en route to a set victory. In the third set, Gehl had three kills and two aces in a 8-0 run as UWSP ran away with the third set and the match.
UWSP 2, St. Olaf 3 (25-23, 17-25, 25-21, 22-25, 13-15)
The Pointers trailed in the first set until a 10-point burst with
Mazie Nagel (Stratford, Wis./Stratford) serving.
Maddie Lawson (West Allis, Wis./Nathan Hale) contributed two kills in the run that gave UWSP a 22-19 edge and Gehl powered down two kills to end the set after a 23-all tie. The Oles used a 12-4 run to pull away in the second set and tie the match.
Megan Lau (Potter, Wis./Hilbert) had four kills in the third set, including one in a 4-0 run to snap a 21-21 tie. Both teams had small leads in the fourth set, but St. Olaf scored four of the final five points to force a decisive fifth set.
UWSP fell behind 8-2 in the third set, but used a 5-0 run with kills by Emme, Lau and Lawson to close within 8-7. Three late kills by Gehl were not enough to hold off St. Olaf in the five-set defeat.
The Pointers open league play on the road on Wednesday (Sept. 18) with a 7:00 p.m. match at UW-River Falls.