STEVENS Point, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (26-6) took care of visiting UW-Platteville (13-16) in straight sets to advance to the semifinals of the WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver's).
 
Ashley Kopp (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) led all players with 12 kills and she was the only player in the match in double figures.  She also had a game-high three aces to with eight digs.
 
Emma Peterson (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) had 16 digs to lead all players.  Grace Michalske (Wausau, Wis./West) added a match-best 30 assists.
 
Megan Lau (Potter, Wis./Hilbert) had a pair of kills in a 7-2 run as the Pointers created some separation in the first set to ahead, 16-12.  Guresi Mena (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) buried four kills including the set-ender as UWSP took the first, 25-21.
 
Kopp had two kills and an ace as UWSP took a 5-2 lead to start the second set.  A five-point burst by the Pioneers pushed the set into a back-and-forth battle.  Reis Derousseau (Tomah, Wis./Tomah) gave UWSP set point with a kill at 24-21, but UWP put up four-straight to put set point on the table for the visitors.  Derousseau took over with two blocks sandwiching a kill as the Pointers rallied back to take the set, 27-25.
 
Kopp, Lau and Mena combined for seven kills in an 11-0 run as the Pointers exploded to a 19-5 lead in the third set.  Kopp had three more kills down the stretch and Michalske served an ace to end the match with a 25-13 win.
 
The Pointers advance to the WIAC Tournament semifinals at UW-Whitewater on Thursday (Nov. 4) at 7:00 p.m.