Nov. 23, 2002

Box Score

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Tari Boutin had 23 kills and UWM overcame a 2-1 deficit to record a 30-32, 30-20, 21-30, 30-24, 15-13 win over Wright State in the semifinals of the Horizon League Volleyball Championships at the Phoenix Sports Center Saturday afternoon.

The Panthers (19-13) will face Loyola in Sunday's championship match after the Ramblers beat UW-Green Bay in three games Saturday night.

Sarah Potts had 18 kills and a career-high 24 digs, while Karen Fruit had 12 kills, 13 digs and seven blocks.

In the decisive game five, the Panthers scored the final two points to win the match after Wright State tied the game at 13. The match-clinching points came after a long rally in which Kristen Krubsack recorded the key dig and Boutin collected the winning kill.

Defense was the story of the match, as Wright State recorded 113 digs while UWM had 100 digs. The Panthers also had 12 team blocks, the second-straight day they landed in double figures in blocks.

"It was really exciting, great volleyball," UWM head coach Kathy Litzau said. "It was a total team effort. Any time we needed a big play down the stretch in games four or five, different people were coming up with a big play."

Kelly Skaro had 18 kills while Tricia Naseman had 17 for Wright State (18-13), which entered the tournament as the sixth seed. The Raiders upset Butler on Friday in the quarterfinals.

Boutin, the Horizon League Player of the Year, added 17 digs and consistently came through with big plays down the stretch.

"Tari struggled early, but really came through in the fourth and fifth games," Litzau said. "She really came up with some big plays when we needed them."

Lindsey Spoden had 63 assists to go with eight kills, 17 digs and four blocks. Rachel Kuebbing and Larissa Cattanach added nine kills apiece for the Panthers, who are in the title match for the fourth time. The Panthers have faced Loyola in each of their three previous title-match appearances, winning twice.

Krubsack added nine digs and played a key role defensively late in the contest.

"Kristen really made some great defensive plays in the late going," Litzau said. "She really came through when we needed her to."

Sunday's match begins at 3 p.m.