STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The No. 17 UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (18-5, 3-2) had three players with double-doubles, but it wasn't enough in a marathon five-set defeat to visiting UW-Platteville (19-5, 4-1) on Friday night.
Grace Michalske (Wausau, Wis./West) racked up 54 assists, one shy of her career high, and added 14 digs.
Ashley Kopp (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) notched another double-double with 24 kills and 23 digs.
Lauren Shaw (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) recorded her first career double-double with 16 kills and 14 digs.
Tessa Erlandson (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon Wanamingo) tied Kopp for the match high with 23 digs as well.
Summer Salettel (Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam) was in double digits with 10 kills, a career high.
Following an emotional pre-game speech by
Mady Hanse (Tomahawk, Wis./Tomahawk), the Pointers got a pair of kills by Salettel to begin to chip away at a 10-2 lead by UWP. Shaw added four kills as the Pointers got within 12-10. Kopp and Salettel combined for eight kills down the stretch, but the Pioneers held on to take the first, 25-22.
Carly Thomka (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) had a kill and an ace with Shaw adding three kills as UWSP led, 8-6, in the second. Kopp had a pair of kills and an ace for an 18-16 advantage. Kopp had another kill to halt a 6-0 run by UWP. Each team had two set points before UWSP prevailed, 28-26, to tie the match at 1-1.
Olivia Paukner (Prairie Du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) had a kill and a block early in the third as UWSP was up 4-2. Kopp served up back-to-back aces amid an 8-0 run as UWSP doubled up UWP, 20-10.
Sydney Mosinski (Nevada, Iowa/Nevada) had a late kill as UWSP clung to the lead after a 10-1 burst by the Pioneers. Kopp finally secured the 25-23 win with a kill.
Mosinski had a pair of kills as UWSP trailed 11-7 in the fourth.
Ella Trieloff (Park Ridge, Ill./St. Viator) served an ace in the middle of a 6-0 run as UWSP battled back to tie the set at 23-23. Kopp had a kill to thwart one set point, but the Pioneers sent the match to a decisive fifth set with the 26-24 win.
Kopp had two kills and Thomka served an ace for a 5-4 lead early. Kopp and Shaw had a pair of kills each as UWP held a late lead to take the fifth set, 15-12.
The Pointers will remain at home on Saturday (Oct. 21) to host the Papa John's Invite and a pair of ranked opponents. UWSP will play No. 24 Cornell at 1:30 p.m. and No. 18 North Park at 6:30 p.m. The match versus NPU will feature a pregame celebration of UWSP's seniors.
