STEVENS POINT, Wis. – It was easy, but the No. 12 UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (13-2) found a way to win two five-set matches on the final day of the Pointers Invitational on Saturday. The Pointers rallied to beat Carthage (10-4) in five sets before hanging on and needing a late rally for a five-set victory over Concordia (Wis.) (8-6).
 
Ashley Kopp (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) posted double-doubles in both matches with 52 kills and 36 digs over the pair of double-doubles. In the opening win over Carthage, Kopp posted 31 kills, the fifth-highest single-match total in school history. She added four assists, three blocks and two services aces.
 
Grace Michalske (Wausau, Wis./West) racked up 100 assists on the day, including 51 in a double-double versus CUW. Melanie Meyer (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) recorded her second-consecutive double-double with 16 kills and 17 digs against Carthage. She narrowly missed another with 14 kills and nine digs versus CUW.
 
Sydney Mosinski (Nevada, Iowa/Nevada) had double-figure kills in both matches with 14 and 17, respectively, on the day. Emma Peterson (Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) had double-digit digs in both matches with 22 and 19.
 
Kopp and Meyer were named to the all-tournament team after leading the Pointers to a 3-0 weekend.
 
UWSP 3, Carthage 2 (22-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-16, 15-10)
Mosinski had a pair of kills and Meyer served up an ace in a 6-0 run as UWSP dug out of a hole early in the first set. Kopp had four late kills, but the Firebirds held on to take the set.
 
Katie Larson (Hammond, Wis./St. Croix Central) had three kills in the middle of the second set as UWSP gained small leads each time. Another ace by Meyer created a 20-16 cushion. Meyer and Mosinski had consecutive kills to close out the set.
 
A seesaw start to the third set saw both teams trade the lead. The Firebirds used a 6-0 run to pull ahead 19-15 late. Kopp had three kills late as UWSP got within one, but Carthage scored the final three points to take a 2-1 lead.
 
Meyer had a pair of early kills and Michalske served an ace as UWSP went ahead, 12-8. Kopp and Meyer combined for seven kills down the stretch and Larson sent the match to a fifth set with a set-ending kill.
 
Michalske started the fifth with an ace and Meyer blasted two kills for a 7-3 lead. After Carthage got within 10-9, Kopp and Meyer slammed the door with four kills in a 5-1 run to finish the match.
 
UWSP 3, CUW 2 (25-20, 25-12, 26-28, 21-25, 16-14)
Mosinski had three kills and a block as UWSP used a 6-1 run to forge ahead, 8-6, early. Larson had a kill and a block to spark a 5-0 run. After UWSP fell behind 20-19, Kopp had three kills as the Pointers scored the final six points to take the set.
 
Kopp had a block and a kill as UWSP opened a 5-0 lead to begin the second set. Larson had two kills and Meyer had a block to give UWSP an 11-4 lead. Olivia Paukner (Prairie Du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) added a late kill as UWSP doubled up Carthage for the 2-0 lead.
 
Mosinski had two kills as the Pointers went ahead 11-7. Meyer had a pair of kills and a Larson ace gave UWSP a 19-16 lead. Four kills by Kopp set up match point at 24-21. The Falcons posted four straight and escaped with the set after a controversial call at the end of the 28-26 set.
 
Kopp and Meyer combined for 10 kills as UWSP held a 20-18 lead in the fourth set. A Michalske kill was all the Pointers had to show in a 7-1 run by CUW to force a fifth set.
 
Mosinski posted back-to-back kills and an ace by Larson gave UWSP a 7-6 lead. Kopp and Mosinski each had a kill as UWSP nudged ahead 13-11. The Falcons scored three-straight to give CUW match point. Kopp powered down a kill and served up an ace to give UWSP match point. Meyer sealed the win with a kill.


The Pointers head to Minnesota on Wednesday (Sept. 28) for a 7:00 p.m. non-conference match at St. Catherine.