Chippewa Valley Times

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team was defeated by UW-Platteville in the first round of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament. The match, which took place at the Sonnentag Event Center, ended with a 3-0 victory for the Pioneers.

In each set, UW-Platteville managed to secure their lead during the later stages. They won with scores of 25-18, 25-17, and 25-23. In the opening set, UW-Eau Claire made a significant effort to close a 10-2 gap by scoring seven consecutive points but could not maintain momentum as UW-Platteville responded with a decisive 6-1 run.

During the second set, the Pioneers extended a narrow two-point lead into an eight-point advantage through an 8-3 run. This left the Blugolds trailing at 18-11, and they were unable to recover before falling behind two sets to none.

The final set saw UW-Eau Claire erase a six-point deficit with a late rally that tied the score at 22. However, UW-Platteville clinched three of the last four points to secure their victory.

Bailey Leeke and Mya Cinnamo both achieved 11 kills for UW-Eau Claire. Abby Stanwood contributed nine kills and led her team with 20 digs. Ella Kiebel recorded 33 assists for her team.

The Pioneers' hitting percentage was .265 compared to .167 for the Blugolds.

UW-Eau Claire now awaits the announcement of teams participating in the NCAA Tournament next week to determine if they will continue their postseason journey.

For more updates on UW-Eau Claire's season, visit Blugolds.com or follow them on social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.