Volleyball faces sudden death all weekend

UW- Eau Claire’s matches ended in tie-breaking sets

The NCAA states if a volleyball match is tied at 2-2, a deciding set will be played and won once 15 points is scored with at least a two-point advantage against the opponent.

 

With one deciding set loss on the season, the UW- Eau Claire volleyball team found itself in three deciding sets over the weekend.

 

Eau Claire traveled last Friday for a conference matchup against UW- Platteville. After winning the first set 25-21, the Blugolds lost the next set 25-20.

 

The scores became more narrow as Eau Claire won the third set 25-22 and lost the fourth set by the same score.

 

While the Blugolds entered the first deciding set of their weekend leading the match with 55 kills to 52, they couldn’t keep the kills coming. The Pioneers had 11 kills against Eau Claire’s six en route to their 15-12, 3-2 victory.

 

On Saturday, Eau Claire played at the Elmhurst Invitational in Illinois with matches against St. Olaf College (Minn.) and St. Mary’s College (Ind.).

 

St. Olaf won the first two sets 25-17 and 27-25 before the Blugolds won the next two sets 25-20 and 25-16. In the deciding set, Eau Claire lost 15-13 for a 3-2 Oles victory.

 

Against St. Mary’s, Eau Claire lost first 25-22 then won the second set 25-16. St. Mary’s took the third set 25-22, and Eau Claire forced their third deciding set of the weekend with a 25-18 victory.

 

Eau Claire defeated St. Mary’s 15-7 in the fifth set to win 3-2 and finished with a 1-2 record for the weekend.

Now sporting a record of 11-13, Eau Claire will host the UW-Eau Claire Fall Classic this weekend. The first of four matches is set against Trinity (Texas) 3 p.m. friday at McPhee gymnasium.