Sept. 24, 1999

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee volleyball team easily swept by Cleveland State, 3-0, in its opening match of the conference season. The Panthers had no trouble topping the Vikings, 15-8, 15-8, 15-2, in a match that lasted only one hour and 10 minutes. The Panthers up their overall record to 12-1 and their conference record to 1-0, while the Vikings drop to 3-10 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

In the first game, the Panthers jumped out to an early seven-point lead. But Cleveland State came back to bring the game within three before UWM took back control to take the game, 15-8. In the second game, the Panthers again took an early lead, with the Vikings battling back to come within four points only to drop the game to the Panthers, 15-8. In game three, the Panthers came out strong and never looked back, downing the Vikings, 15-2, to take the match, 3-0.

Senior Sue Raschka turned in the Panthers? top performance for the night, racking up 19 kills with an impressive .429 hitting percentage (19-4/32). She also had two digs and one solo block in the match. Senior Ericka Malterer was second on the Panther squad, tallying 13 kills with an equally impressive .480 hitting percentage (13-1/25). Sophomore Chrissy Schurla was the only other Panther in the double digits with 11 kills and a remarkable .588 hitting percentage (11-1/17).

Next up for the Panthers: UWM volleyball travels to north to take on the UW-Green Bay Phoenix on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. The Panthers return home for an exhibition match against UWM volleyball alumni on Friday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. in the Klotsche Center.