Conference foe UW-Whitewater put an end to UW-Eau Claire’s volleyball season, defeating the Blugolds in the round of 16, 30-18, 28-30, 35-33, 26-30, 14-16.
Senior Molly Menard led the Blugolds with 24 kills. Junior Carly Freiborg had a team-high 56 assists and 25 digs. Shanna Berger added 20.
Eau Claire advanced to the the match up with Whitewater with two victories earlier in the weekend.
On Thursday, the Blugolds swept Lakeland College, 30-21, 30-19, 30-23 in the first round of the NCAA Div. III national tournament.
Defensivley, senior Shanna Berger had 10 digs, and junior Jessica Groh had seven blocks for Eau Claire. On the offensive side, Freiborg dished out 41 assists and Menard had 18 kills.
The Blugolds had 11 blocks, while the Muskies had 6. Eau Claire also led in kills with 47, compared to Lakeland’s 33. The Blugolds hit .308 and kept the Muskies to .09.
In the second round, Eau Claire defeated host team UW-Oskhosh, 30-26, 30-21, 17-30, 30-26.
Senior Jenny Wolter led the team with 21 kills. Jodi Dunbar and Menard were next, with 14 each. Freiborg led with 52 assists. Eau Claire hit .275 with 71 kills over the Oshkosh numbers of .250 and 57.
The defense put up 60 digs, with Berger having the most at 27. The team also put up 10 blocks.
The Blugolds end the season with a 30-5 record. This was Eau Claire’s eighth national tournament appearance and the fifth time it has been put out in the Sweet 16.
The five losses are tied for second-fewest in a season and the least since the five of 1988-1989.
– Spectator staff
