Coming off their win versus Carthage College, which broke a two-game losing streak, the No. 7 nationally-ranked UW Oshkosh volleyball team found their footing this weekend, beating the UW-Stout Blue Devils and Carroll College Pioneers in the second triangular at Kolf Sports Center this season.
UWO opened the weekend on Friday versus UW-Stout. As the Titans beat the Blue Devils 3-1 with set scores of 16-25, 25-15, 25-13 and 25-16. Sami Perlberg led the Titans in the win with 15 kills. Malia Winchel and Abby Fregien helped in the win as both recorded five aces and four aces, respectively. Kalli Mau led in assists with 27 recorded.
The first set in the beginning looked like it was gonna be an easy set win for the Titans. UWO jumped out to an 8-2 lead behind three kills from Riley Kindt. However, the Blue Devils responded with a 6-0 run to tie the set at 8-8. The Titans retook the lead at 9-8, but UW-Stout took the lead for good at 11-9. The Titans were able to get the Blue Devils lead down to one a couple times, but were not able to break through. Up 20-16, the Blue Devils went on a 5-0 run to close out the set one win.
After the first set, Coach Jon Ellmann said that they had to hit the reset button and get back to who they are.
“We had a very direct conversation as a team about simply performing up to our standards,” Ellmann said.
The talk worked as the Titans looked a lot better the rest of the night. Despite the Blue Devils starting the set with a 4-2 lead, UWO not only tied the set at 5-5 but took the lead for good in the set. Up 7-6, the Titans blew open the set with a 6-0 run behind two kills from Hannah Moe to go up 13-6. The Blue Devils didn’t get closer within 6 points of the Titans as UWO cruised to the set two win to tie the match.
Set three was back and forth between the two teams until UWO turned an 11-11 tie to an 18-11 lead behind two kills each from Perlberg and Olivia Bruenig each. The Blue Devils got another point before the Titans went on another 5-0 run to go up 23-12. UWO was able to cruise to their second set win of the match. The fourth set was similar to the third set, and both teams got out to an 8-8 tie. It wasn’t until a kill from Robyn Kirch and two aces from Winchel that UWO blew open their lead. UW Stout never retook the lead in the match as UWO once again cruised to the fourth set victory and the match win.
In the Titans second match of the weekend, they crushed the Carroll College Pioneers. UWO won each set 25-13, 25-14, 25-15 and each set was as bad as the score indicated.
UWO started the first set up 9-0, and was able to get a 20-5 lead. The closest that Carroll was able to get to UWO was 24-12 before the Titans got that 25th set. The toughest set for the Titans was the second set, Carroll started the set with a 2-0 lead and in fact got it tied at 9-9. The Pioneers were able to retake the lead at 11-10 only until a service error tied it back up. And then UWO took the lead in the set for good behind three straight kills from Bruenig, Perlberg, and Lauren Grier. The Closest Carroll got to the lead was within five that set. Set three, the Titans never relinquished the lead. Up 10-6, the Titans cruised to the set three win as they never had a lead smaller than four.
In the two matches, Perlberg led the team in kills with 26 kills. Only adding on to her lead in points for the team. “(Sami) has played in almost all of our matches this year and continues to help our team in a multitude of ways.” Coach Ellman said.
