Blue Devils down Blugolds in marathon match

UW-Stout 3, UW-Eau Claire 2

EAU CLAIRE (October 9, 2019) - It doesn't get much closer than this as UW-Stout defeated 22nd-ranked UW-Eau Claire 3-2 in a marathon match at McPhee Center Wednesday night, giving the Blue Devils their first conference win of the season.

The match lasted two-hours, 20-minutes and the scores show why. The Blue Devils (15-6, 1-3 WIAC) took the first two sets, 25-23, 25-23, but the Blugolds (10-8 2-2 WIAC) came back to knot the match at two sets apiece with tight 25-23, 25-22 wins. The Blue Devils captured the match with a 15-13 win, their first win at Eau Claire since Sept. 15, 2004. 

After the two teams tied at two sets each, the fifth set was just as close. The game was tied seven times, at 1, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 13. With the game tied at 13, Stout took advantage of a pair of Eau Claire errors to win the game - a service error to go up 14-13 and an attack error into the net for match point. The biggest lead of the set was a Stout 8-5 lead, but the Blugolds scored four straight points to go ahead 9-8. Lexie Nelson tied the score with a kill and the team shared points almost the rest of the way. 

The first four sets were tight as well. The scores of the first set was never more than three points, while the second and third sets were never separated by more than five points, and that was early in the sets. Stout built as much as an eight point lead in the fourth set, 14-6, but Eau Claire cut the lead to two points, going on a 7-1 run. Eau Claire tied the score at 20 and outscored Stout 5-2 down the stretch.

Amber Ripley highlighted Stout's attack, putting down 13 kills and finished with five service aces. Nelson added 12 kills and Lydia Kneubuehl 11 kills. Steph Cannon recorded a season-high 39 digs, third most in her career, and contributed four service aces. Nelson and Jessica DuVal combined for 37 assists, with DuVal recording 23. DuVal chalked up a double-double by also adding 13 digs.

The Blugolds had four players in double-digit kills, led by Sarah Kuchick's 15 kills. Arianna Barrett had 14 kills, Makenzie Bachmann 11 and Abby Volk 10.

The was Stout's first win in four attempts in 3-2 decisions. Stout's last win came over Eau Claire in 2016, a 3-2 win at Stout's Johnson Fieldhouse.

The Blue Devils will travel to St. Louis, Mo., this weekend to take part in the Washington University Baden Invitational where they will face Fontbonne University, Lakeland University and the University of Dallas.