NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (15-13) split matches at the St. Olaf Tri on Saturday. The Pointers defeated St. Catherine (8-15) in four sets before being swept by St. Olaf (20-6)
 
Samantha Kempinger (Oshkosh, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) and Hannah Strege (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee) recorded a double-double each against SCU. Kempinger had a match-high 12 kills and added 11 digs. Strege racked up 37 assists and had 10 digs. Carly Thomka (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) and Lauren Shaw (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) were also in double figures with 11 and 10 kills, respectively, against the Wildcats.
 
Abby Nevins (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) led the Pointers in digs in both matches with 29 versus SCU and 16 against the Oles.
 
Game 1 – UWSP 3, SCU 1 (25-19, 18-25, 25-11, 25-20)
Strege served up three aces as the Pointers jumped out to a 4-0 start. Kempinger had a kill in a couple 4-0 bursts as UWSP went up, 14-10. Kempinger added three more kills and a block as the Pointers took the opening set.
 
Thomka and Trieloff had two kills each as UWSP went up, 8-6 in the second. Thomka had a kill and an ace to halt a 10-1 run by the Wildcats. Kempinger had a kill late as SCU evened the match at 1-1.
 
Strege had another ace as the Pointers started the third, up 4-0. Kempinger served up four aces in an 8-0 run as UWSP built a 16-5 advantage. Thomka served an ace and Olivia Paukner (Prairie Du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) combined with Sadie Grabarski (Waunakee, Wis./Waunakee Community) for a block late as the Pointers secured the third set.
 
Kempinger had three kills and an ace as UWSP led, 9-7, to start the fourth. Shaw, Kempinger, Thomka, Paukner and Trieloff combined for 12 kills as the Pointers won the match in four sets.
 
Game 2 – UWSP 0, STO 3 (22-25, 10-25, 17-25)
Paukner and Shaw had two kills each as UWSP battled to a 9-8 lead in the first. Thomka had three kills and a block as the Oles held off the Pointers to take the first set.
 
Shaw and Kempinger had a kill apiece as the Oles rolled through the second set to put UWSP down, 2-0.
 
Shaw and Trieloff combined for five kills as UWSP played from behind in the third, 9-6. Paukner had a kill and a block as UWSP tried to keep pace. Bella Lucero (Antioch, Ill./Carmel Catholic) served UWSP lone ace of the match and Kempinger added a block as the Oles finished the sweep.
 
The Pointers are back home on Wednesday (Oct. 29) for a conference match against UW-La Crosse beginning at 7:00 p.m.