Sept. 28, 2002

Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Karen Fruit had 15 kills to lead three Panthers in double figures as UWM claimed an impressive 30-20, 30-28, 30-25 win over Butler Saturday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Panthers (5-10, 1-1 Horizon) hit a season-high .281 for the match. Sarah Potts had 12 kills and 11 digs while Larissa Cattanach added 10 kills. Fruit had 12 digs for her fifth double-double of the season, while Lindsey Spoden had 40 assists plus 11 digs and Kristen Krubsack had 15 digs.

Kali Carter had 12 kills to lead the Bulldogs (8-10, 1-1 Horizon), who had opened league play with a three-game win over UW-Green Bay Friday night.

"The focus on this team, the intensity, the drive, it was all great. This team came out to win," UWM head coach Kathy Litzau said. "We adjusted throughout and we really stuck to our game plan."

UWM built early leads in games one and three of the match and, unlike the night before at Wright State, was able to maintain the advantage throughout. In game one, the Panthers jumped to an 8-4 advantage and quickly pushed the lead to 13-5 on back-to-back kills by Fruit. Butler closed to within 19-16, but the Panthers pushed back, grabbing a 25-17 lead following kills by Potts and Fruit. UWM closed out the game on an ace by Cattanach. The Panthers hit .444 for the game and limited the Bulldogs to a .119 hitting average.

In game two, Butler grabbed the early lead in a frame that was tight throughout. The Bulldogs still led 19-18 following a kill by Areal Bienemy before UWM struck back on kills by Fruit and Cattanach and an error by Bienemy to make it 23-20 UWM. The match was tied one last time at 28 apiece, but the Panthers scored the final two points on a kill by Rachel Kuebbing and a Butler attack error to win the game.

UWM turned around the early momentum of game three with a 10-0 run that changed a 6-3 deficit into a 13-6 lead. Kuebbing and Potts had two kills apiece during the run, while the Panthers also took advantage of four Butler errors. The Bulldogs got back to within three points on two occasions later in the game, but the Panthers closed out the match on kills by Potts and Kuebbing to claim their first league win of the year.

The Panthers' defense was also a key to the win, as UWM recorded 57 digs and had six blocks, including four by freshman Molly McNab. The Panthers also limited Butler to a .109 hitting percentage for the match.

"Butler was definitely error-ridden tonight, but we were not. The focus tonight was really, really good," Litzau said.

UWM opens a three-game homestand Tuesday night by hosting DePaul. The Panthers then welcome Cleveland State and Youngstown State to the Klotsche Center over the weekend.