Blue Devils volleyball falls 3-1 to 10th-ranked UW-Whitewater

UW-Whitewater 3, UW-Stout 1 

MENOMONIE (October 4, 2019) - After a battle of momentum shifts between sides, UW-Stout came up short against the UW-Whitewater Warhawks. Tenth-ranked Whitewater came back after dropping the first set to a feisty Stout squad Friday at Johnson Fieldhouse. 
 
The Blue Devils (14-6, 0-3) captured the first set 25-18, but the Warhawks (14-3, 3-0 WIAC) took the final three set, 25-15, 26-24, 25-20.

In the first set of play, the Blue Devils held the court getting up to a seven point lead, with a service ace by Emily Makina, before eventually grabbing the final win. Kara Simonson and Lexie Nelson put down back-to-back kills to end the set. The Warhawks grabbed the momentum in the second set to take a 10 point win.

During the third set of play, it was a hard fought battle to the end with the score never spreading beyond five points. The Blue Devils held the lead through the middle of the set, but Whitewater tied the score at 18 apiece on a kill by Chloe Buescher. The score stayed within one point until the Warhawks grabbed the final two points. 

Nearing the end of the set, Stout's Amber Ripley roped in a service ace and a kill by Lexie Nelson closing the gap and making it an even score game before Whitewater got ahead for the win with a kill by Emma Aske.
 
The Warhawks had three players notch double-digit kills. Ashton Doll led the way with 13 kills and Chloe Buescher and Rachel Butterfield each recorded 10 kills.
 
The Blue Devils were led by Kara Simonson with nine kills.
 
Both teams were tough on the block tonight, with the Warhawks recording 15 block assists and the Blue Devils 12.

UW-Stout will be at UW-Eau Claire Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.