RIVER FALLS, Wis. – Senior April Gehl (Hilbert, Wis./Hilbert) led all players with 16 kills and 22 digs as the UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (11-3, 1-0) defeated UW-River Falls (9-4, 0-1) in straight sets (25-17, 26-24, 25-20) to open league play on Wednesday.
 
The night was Gehl's seven consecutive match with a double-double.  Junior Ellie Adams (Racine, Wis./William Horlick) also had a double-double with 36 assists and 11 digs.  Emma Peterson (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) added 15 digs.
 
UWSP hit .407 and used an early 7-1 run to pull away for the win in the first set.  Gehl and Tara Emme (St. Nazianz, Wis./Valders) sandwiched a 4-0 run with kills as UWSP averted set point to take a close second set.  Gehl sparked a four-point burst to break a 7-7 tie and UWSP held the lead the remainder of the set to win the match in three.
 
The Pointers return home to host the Pointers Invitational II this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 20-21).  UWSP will face North Park at 7:00 p.m. in Berg Gym on Friday.