Ashley Wipperfurth and the Wolves fall in the regular season finale to the Cougars
Chicago, Ill. – The Cardinal Stritch University women’s volleyball team came up just short against the St. Xavier University Cougars on Tuesday, falling 1-3 in their final regular season match of the year. The Cougars attack made the difference in the match, finishing with 17 more kills than the Wolves in the victory.
Stritch pulled out to an 8-7 lead in the first game, using a four point run after falling behind 4-7. However the Wolves couldn’t hold on to their advantage and St. Xavier ran away with the first set, 25-18. The Wolves offense struggled, only earning eight of their points on kills, five by Ashley Wipperfurth (Sauk City, Wis.).
The Wolves offense picked up in the second set. That, along with strong defense made game two very exciting. Wipperfurth led the Wolves once again, contributing six kills in the set. The two teams exchanged points throughout the game, as the set came to the 19th tie at 27-27. Kills by Kayla Mullaney (Elmhurst, Ill.), who recorded eight kills in the set and Kelly Knudson (Oak Lawn, Ill.) gave St. Xavier the 29-27 win.
Set three was much of the same, as the Wolves and Cougars traded points until the very end. In the win or go home game, Anna Flock (Norwalk, Wis.) made her presence known after a quiet start, earning five kills in the set. With a 24-24 tie, Flock put down her fifth kill to give the ball to Megan Galonski (Milwaukee, Wis.) at the serving line. The Wolves took the set 26-24, closing on a Cougar error.
Game three could have been a momentum shift for Stritch, but neither team came out strong in the fourth set. Both struggled with errors until the Cougars tied the set 7-7 on a kill by Mullaney. The Wolves, however, continued to have troubles keeping the ball in play, hitting -0.061 in the set. St. Xavier’s defense saved their attackers, as the Cougars recorded 32 digs and 5 total blocks. The Wolves’ offense only managed to produce five kills as they fell in the final set, 18-25.
Mullaney led St. Xavier with a double double, recording a team-high 16 kills along with 14 digs. Knudson also recorded a double double, earning 19 digs and 12 kills, along with six service aces. Erin Sebo (Downers Grove, Ill.) also picked up 19 digs. Jaclyn Major (Lockport, Ill.) led the Cougars with a match-high 44 assists.
Wipperfurth continues to be a force for the Wolves. The freshman led in kills with 16 and contributed a match-high 22 digs. Jackie Schmitz (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) picked up 19 digs and Kaitlin Fischer (Mokena, Ill.) put up 26 assists in the losing effort. Shannon Petrack (Winneconne, Wis.) put on a show at the net, earning four solo blocks and three block assists to lead all athletes.
The Wolves fall to 4-6 in the CCAC with the loss and 10-19 overall. The CCAC Tournament is slated to begin on November 6, 2009.