The No. 3 ranked UW Oshkosh volleyball team swept the Carroll University Pioneers during UWO’s Senior Night on Wednesday, Oct. 8. The sweep not only led the Titans to become the first team in Division III to 20 wins, but UWO is on a run of 21 straight set wins going back to the sweep over UW-Stevens Point on Sept. 26. The Titans win was also their fourth straight win on the team’s Senior Night, dating back to a 3-0 win over Ripon College in 2022.
UWO head coach Jon Ellmann said he appreciates the level that the six seniors who were honored on Wednesday have lifted the team.
“These six have been and will continue to elevate our program every day,” Ellmann said. “I am so grateful for every minute that we get to spend with these amazing women.”
Lauren Grier led the Titans in the win with 10 kills. Samantha Perlberg, Grace Jurgens, Claire McEniry and Maren Motz also had big contributions in the kill department, with Perlberg recording eight and the trio of Jurgens, McEniry and Motz each recording seven, respectively. Jaclyn Dutkiewicz and Izzy Coon led in assists with 21 and 19, respectively.
The match was all Titans from the start. UWO opened the first set with a 6-2 lead behind two kills from Grier. The Pioneers scored the next two points to cut the Titans lead at 6-4, and from there, UWO never had a deficit lower than four points as the Titans cruised to a set one win at 25-15.
The second set was the tightest set of the night between the two teams. The set started off all Titans as UWO opened up with a 10-3 lead behind two kills from Grier and two aces from Perlberg. However, six Titan attack errors allowed the Pioneers to respond with a 9-0 run to claim their first lead of the set and the night at 12-10. From there, both teams kept trading punches and both teams had an answer for each other. With UWO holding a 23-22 lead late in the set, the Titans were able to score the final two points with kills from Grier to win the second set 25-22.
Set three, like the first set, was dominated by the Titans. UWO jumped out to a 4-0 start, and from there the Titans were able to cruise to an easy 25-15 set three win as UWO never had a lead lower than four points. Perlberg ended the set and the match with a kill for the match point.
Winning 21-straight sets is something that Ellmann said he is pleased to see, but he knows that the team continues to work and improve every day.
“We are hyper aware that we have plenty to work on, to be able to win and learn is a luxury that we don’t take for granted,” Ellmann said. “We are just as hungry as we were on day one to move the needle forward. I’m proud of this group for coming to work each day and clocking in.”
UWO now enters a stretch from now to the season finale, where the team will play six ranked teams in its final eight games. Three of the Titans’ final eight games are against teams that are at the top of the WIAC standings, along with UWO. It is a stretch that Ellmann said he is excited to attack and knows that it will strengthen the team for postseason time.
“Great teams keep you grounded, nothing prepares you and sharpens you like playing in the WIAC and going toe-to-toe against some of the best teams in the country,” Ellmann said. “We are honored and excited to enter this final stretch of our regular season.”
The Titans will return to the court on Wednesday, Oct. 15 for a match at UW-La Crosse. The game between the Titans and Eagles took place at Mitchell Hall Gymnasium. You can check the results of the game at uwoshkoshtitans.com.
