STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point volleyball team (10-8) split matches at the Papa John's Invite on Friday. UWSP fell to Carthage (13-5) in four sets before sweeping Millikin (7-7) in the nightcap.
Lauren Shaw (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) led the Pointers in kills in both matches with 13 and 10 on the day.
Hannah Strege (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee) led all players in both matches in assists with 38 and 35.
Abby Nevins (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) had a team-best 21 and 11 digs on the day.
Carly Thomka (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) had 12 kills against Carthage and combined for 12 blocks on the day.
Game 1 – UWSP 1, Carthage 3 (23-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-27)
Ella Trieloff (Park Ridge, Ill./St. Viator) and Thomka had two kills each as UWSP held a narrow 11-10 lead. Thomka and
Delilah Hyland (Glen Ellyn, Ill./IC Catholic Prep) had two kills apiece as Carthage held on for the first set win.
Thomka and Shaw had two kills each as the Pointers opened up with a 7-3 advantage in the second.
Tessa Erlandson (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon Wanamingo) served an ace in a 3-0 burst for a 13-10 lead. Strege and Shaw had an ace each and Thomka combined with Trieloff on a block as UWSP evened the match at 1-1.
Shaw had four kills as UWSP jumped in front, 12-9 in the third. Thomka had a kill, a block and an ace but the Firebirds finished with a 7-2 run to take the third set.
Logan Cregan (Little Canada, Minn./Roseville Area) and Shaw had a pair of kills each as the Pointers again took the lead, 10-5.
Olivia Paukner (Prairie Du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie) had four kills in the set. Thomka had a kill for set point, but Carthage again closed on a 7-2 run to win the match.
Game 2 – UWSP 3, Millikin 0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-17)
Thomka had three kills in a 9-2 run as UWSP jumped ahead, 13-8 in the first set. Trieloff and
Samantha Kempinger (Oshkosh, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) combined for five kills late as the Pointers took the opening set.
Shaw and Paukner had three kills each as the Pointers got a 10-9 edge in the second. Thomka again had a kill, a block and an ace to push the lead to 16-12. Kempinger added two kills late as UWSP took a 2-0 lead.
Thomka had two kills and a pair of blocks in a 6-1 start to the third for the Pointers.
Katie Larson (Hammond, Wis./St. Croix Central) had two kills and a block late as UWSP finished the sweep.
The Pointers wrap up the weekend with a 12:00 p.m. match against Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday (Oct. 4).