WAUKESHA — The University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic volleyball team (16-11, 1-6 WIAC) rallied from two sets down to defeat Carroll (Wis.) (18-11, 7-1 CCIW) 3-2 (21-25, 18-25, 27-25, 25-20, 15-7) in the 2026 season finale Friday at Van Male Fieldhouse.
Brooke McCune tied her own school record with 29 kills as the Blue Devils hit .421 in the fourth set and .444 in the fifth while holding Carroll to four kills and a .000 hitting percentage in the deciding set to complete the comeback.
Stout opened the match with kills from Brynn Hessel, Brooke McCune and Hope Bushendorf. McCune added a service ace as the Blue Devils built a 6-2 lead. Carroll responded to tie the set at 7-7 before taking control and building a 21-15 advantage. Stout answered with four consecutive points behind kills from Lainey Todd, Bushendorf and McCune to pull within 22-20. Carroll took three of the final four points to claim the opening set 25-21.
The Blue Devils led 4-2 in the second set following early kills from McCune and Hessel before Carroll rallied and built a 13-7 lead. Kyra Giffen's sideout kill sparked a six-point Stout run, with Stephanie Petrbok serving the next five points. McCune and Bushendorf added kills, while Hessel contributed a pair of blocks to help the Blue Devils even the set at 13-13. Hessel tied the score again at 14-14, and McCune put Stout in front 15-14. Carroll regained the lead and closed the set with six consecutive points to take a 25-18 win.
Stout began its comeback in the third set. Carroll turned a 17-17 tie into a 20-17 lead before McCune stopped the run with a kill. Falon Hepola followed with back-to-back service aces, and a Carroll attack error gave the Blue Devils a 21-20 advantage. McCune added another kill, and Giffen contributed a block as Stout moved ahead 23-21. Carroll fought back to tie the set at 24-24 and 25-25, but a service error gave the Blue Devils set point. McCune then finished the 27-25 victory with a kill.
Stout carried the momentum into the fourth set, opening with two Petrbok service aces and a McCune kill to take a 3-0 lead. The Blue Devils later put together a six-point run, with Hepola serving the final five points. A block by Addison Kessler and Sloan Horgan, a McCune kill, a Hepola ace and a Kessler kill pushed the Stout lead to 12-3. Carroll cut the deficit from 16-7 to 16-12, but the Blue Devils maintained control. Horgan's kill brought Stout to set point, and Giffen finished the 25-20 win with a kill.
Stout opened the fifth set with kills from Giffen and McCune to take a 2-0 lead. Carroll battled back to tie the set at 4-4, but kills from Horgan and Giffen, along with blocks by Kessler, Horgan and Hessel, helped the Blue Devils build an 8-5 advantage. After Carroll pulled within 8-7, Horgan's kill made it 9-7. Todd then served the final six points, including two aces, as Hessel added a kill and McCune recorded two more to seal the 15-7 victory.
TOP PERFORMERS
Brooke McCune
• 29 kills with three errors on 66 attempts
• .394 hitting percentage
• 14 digs
• 30 points
Lainey Todd
• 34 assists
• 12 digs
• Two service aces
• One kill on one attempt
Brynn Hessel
• Six kills with one error on 10 attempts
• .500 hitting percentage
• Three blocks, including two solo
• 8.5 points
Falon Hepola
• 10 assists
• Three service aces
• Five digs
Sam Siehr
• 14 digs
