STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The No. 15 UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (24-6) shook off a third-set loss to win in dominating fashion in four sets against UW-River Falls (22-12) in Tuesday's WIAC Tournament first round match.
 
Ashley Kopp (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) led all players with 15 kills, surpassing 1000 in her career in the first set. She also served up a match-high five aces and topped all players with five blocks.
 
Kelsie Belfiori (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) added three aces, all coming in the dominant fourth set. She joined Emma Peterson (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) in double figures with 14 and 18 digs apiece.
 
Grace Michalske (Wausau, Wis./West) just missed a double-double with 34 assists and nine digs.
 
Peterson served up consecutive aces and Melanie Meyer (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) had two kills as UWSP used a 6-0 run to go up 10-5 in the first set. Kopp posted seven kills and her first ace as UWSP closed out the set, 25-17.
 
Olivia Paukner (Prairie Du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) had three kills and a block as UWSP went up 10-5 in the second set following three-straight aces by Kopp. Sydney Mosinski (Nevada, Iowa/Nevada) had three kills and a block down the stretch as UWSP took the second, 25-18.
 
Kopp and Paukner had a kill each and combined on a block as UWSP took a 6-1 lead to start the third. The Falcons used a 6-2 run to tie the set at 8-8 and used an 11-2 run to close out the set and force a fourth set, 25-17.
 
Belfiori began serving in the fourth set and three aces later, UWSP had a 9-0 lead. Kopp had a kill and an ace as the lead grew to 19-3.  Katie Larson (Hammond, Wis./St. Croix Central) and Meyer had two kills each late as the Pointers won the match with a 25-5 fourth set win.
 
UWSP advanced to the WIAC Tournament semifinals at UW-Oshkosh. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m. on Thursday (Nov. 3).