MENOMONIE — UW-Stout Polytechnic volleyball earned a 3-0 victory over Concordia College-Moorhead Thursday at Johnson Fieldhouse, winning 25-17, 25-18, 25-23.
The Blue Devils finished with 41 kills and hit .212 for the match, including a .406 hitting percentage in the opening set. UW-Stout also recorded seven service aces and held Concordia to a .090 hitting percentage.
UW-Stout jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the opening set behind a service ace from Stephanie Petrbok and back-to-back kills from Brooke McCune. After Concordia pulled within 5-3, the Blue Devils responded with a six-point run behind Falon Hepola's serve. McCune added two kills during the stretch, while Sloan Horgan contributed a kill as Stout extended its lead to 11-3.
The Blue Devils continued to control the set, getting kills from Emma Barton, Kyra Giffen, Horgan and McCune before Petrbok helped Stout build a 19-9 advantage with another serving run. Stout closed out the set, 25-17, on a Giffen kill from Lainey Todd.
The second set featured several momentum swings before the Blue Devils took control late. With Stout holding a 15-14 lead, UW-Stout scored four consecutive points on kills from Hepola, Brynn Hessel and Gabby Ehlers, along with a Todd service ace, to move ahead 21-15. Ehlers added another kill to put Stout at set point before Horgan finished the 25-18 win with a kill.
UW-Stout faced its closest test in the third set, but the Blue Devils rallied from an 18-16 deficit and closed the match with a 7-2 run. McCune sparked the comeback with a kill and a service ace, while Ehlers and Hessel teamed up for a pair of blocks. Petrbok then served during a four-point Stout run that put the Blue Devils ahead 23-21.
After Concordia pulled within one, McCune delivered kills for the final two Stout points, including the match-clinching kill, as the Blue Devils completed the sweep with a 25-23 third-set victory.
McCune led the Blue Devils with 16 kills and 17 points, while hitting .225. Todd recorded a team-high 20 assists and added two service aces and seven digs. Hepola contributed 14 assists and two kills while hitting .400, and Petrbok led Stout with three service aces and added eight digs. Taylor Mosher posted a team-high nine digs.
UW-Stout improves to 12-6 overall and 0-2 in WIAC play.
The Blue Devils return to action Wednesday, Oct. 7, hosting Saint Mary's University (Minn.) at 7 p.m. at Johnson Fieldhouse in Menomonie.
