EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The No. 20 UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (21-8, 3-4) dropped the conference finale in five sets, 3-2, at UW-Eau Claire (14-13, 3-4).
Ashley Kopp (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) led the Pointers with 18 kills, the lone UWSP player in double figures.
Grace Michalske (Wausau, Wis./West) tallied 43 assists and
Tessa Erlandson (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon Wanamingo) added 22 digs, both team-highs.
Summer Salettel (Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam) tied for the match-lead with four blocks.
Kopp had three kills and block early as the Pointers held a 6-5 edge.
Ryleigh Zeller (Muskego, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) served an ace in a 3-0 burst for a 10-7 lead.
Lauren Shaw (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) added three kills as UWSP faced a 23-20 deficit late. Michalske served her second ace of the set in a 4-0 run as UWSP gained set point. After UWEC tied it a 24-24, Kopp and Salettel had back-to-back kills for a 26-24 set win.
Sydney Mosinski (Nevada, Iowa/Nevada) and Michalske combined on a block as UWSP trailed 10-1 to begin the second.
Carly Thomka (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) had two kills and
Mady Hanse (Tomahawk, Wis./Tomahawk) had one late as UWSP dropped the second set, 25-14.
Salettel had a kill and a block early in the third, but UWSP trailed 10-6. Shaw and Michalske each had an ace in a 7-2 run as the Pointers took a 14-12 lead. Shaw added two kills in a 6-1 burst as the lead grew to 20-15.
Erin Gillen (Richfield, Wis./Slinger) posted consecutive aces as UWSP pulled out the third set, 25-19.
Kopp had two kills as UWSP went ahead, 4-2, to begin the fourth. Mosinski, Kopp and Salettel had two kills each as UWSP kept it close until UWEC ended the set with a 6-0 run for the 25-18 win.
Ella Trieloff (Park Ridge, Ill./St. Viator) began the fifth set with an ace and Kopp added two kills for a 6-4 advantage. The Blugolds went on an 11-3 run to close out the set, 15-9, and the match.
The Pointers travel to Minnesota on Saturday (Nov. 4) for a pair of non-conference matches to end the regular season. UWSP will face Saint Benedict at 2:00 p.m. before facing host St. Olaf at 4:00 p.m.