HOLLAND, Mich. – The UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (20-11) rallied multiple times to beat Otterbein (21-9) in five sets (19-25, 25-15, 25-21, 23-25, 15-13) in the NCAA Tournament opening round.
Senior
Ashley Kopp (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) reached yet another milestone surpassing 2,200 career kills on Thursday. She had a match-high 25 kills and recorded her 16th double-double of the season with a team-best 22 digs. She moved up to 22nd all-time in DIII history and now has 2,201 career kills, the most among all active NCAA players.
Fellow senior
Grace Michalske (Wausau, Wis./West) and sophomore
Lauren Shaw (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) also notched double-doubles. Michalske tied her season high with 54 assists and added 12 digs. Shaw had 13 digs and 10 kills.
Sophomore
Carly Thomka (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) added a career-high 17 kills and hit a match-best .548.
Sydney Mosinski (Nevada, Iowa/Nevada) was also in double figures with 14 kills. Freshman
Abby Nevins (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) added 16 digs and senior
Emily Nielsen (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) had 10 digs.
Kopp began the match with a kill, but Otterbein jumped ahead, 6-2. Shaw added a kill, but OU took a 13-7 lead. Mosinski had three kills and a block as UWSP attempted to get back in the set. Thomka and Kopp combined for six kills down the stretch, but the Cardinals held on to take the opening set.
Nielsen began the second set with an ace. Kopp and Mosinski had a kill each and combined on a block for a 4-1 lead.
Bella Lucero (Antioch, Ill./Carmel Catholic) racked up a trio of aces in a 6-0 run as UWSP went ahead, 13-5. Kopp had six kills and a block as UWSP evened the match with a 25-15 win.
Thomka had three kills in a 5-0 burst, but UWS trailed 12-9 in the third set. Mosinski and Shaw had two kills apiece as UWSP rallied to tie the set at 18-18. Thomka bookended a 5-0 run with kills to set up set point. Kopp posted a solo block to secure the set win.
Thomka had an early ace, but UWSP was down 7-2 early in the fourth. Lucero and
Tessa Erlandson (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon Wanamingo) each had an ace as UWSP roared back to tie it at 10-10. Thomka had two kills as UWSP gained the lead at 14-13. Kopp added three kills, but the Cardinals held on to force a fifth set.
Thomka and Kopp combined for three early kills, but the Cardinals jump in front 8-4. Thomka and
Ella Trieloff (Park Ridge, Ill./St. Viator) combined for a block sparking a 4-0 burst as UWSP tied it at 8-8. Thomka had another kill to ignite a 4-0 burst as UWSP leaped in front, 13-12. OU tied it at 13-13 and Kopp finished off the match with consecutive kills.
The Pointers will face host No. 2 Hope in the regional semifinal on Friday (Nov. 22) beginning a 7:00 p.m. ET.
