Oct. 18, 2003

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Karen Fruit had 13 kills to lead a balanced University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee attack in a 30-25, 30-27, 30-27 win over Butler Saturday at the Klotsche Center.

The win is the Panthers' eighth-straight, a season high, and keeps them alone in first place in the Horizon League. UWM (18-3, 7-0 Horizon) stands one game ahead of UW-Green Bay and two games ahead of Butler at the halfway point of the season. The Bulldogs (14-8, 5-2), who entered this weekend 5-0, lost for the second-straight time.

Larissa Cattanach added nine kills, Cheryl Hegemann eight and Lindsey Spoden, Sarah Moore and Melissa David six apiece for the Panthers, who continue to be without senior all-league performer Sarah Potts, sidelined with a back injury.

Kali Carter had 14 kills and Krystal Hendrix 10 to lead Butler, which was hurt by 28 hitting errors, including some at key times.

The story of the game was defense and long rallies, especially in game three. The two teams combined for 140 digs and 19 blocks.

"I felt like in the first two games Butler probably helped us out a bit late in the game on some key points," UWM head coach Kathy Litzau said. "But the third game was a great game. It was great volleyball, the crowd was into it and the defense was tremendous. I thought it was really proof of how good our team can be."

Fruit had 19 digs to lead the Panthers defensively, while Spoden added 12 and David and Robin Alt had 10 apiece. Spoden also helped produce the balanced offensive attack for the Panthers with 37 assists.

"I thought Lindsey set a very nice match tonight," Litzau said. "She did a great job with distribution and moving the ball away from their middles and keeping them off-balance."

UWM controlled game one after the midway point, turning a 13-all tie into a 19-14 lead following a kill by Fruit. Butler did pull back within 22-21 and was still within 24-22 after a Panther error. But UWM scored the next three points before closing the match out thanks to two Bulldog errors.

Butler grabbed a 16-13 lead in game two, only to see the Panthers tie the frame at 17 following a kill by Fruit. From there, the game was tied at 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 before the Panthers took the lead for good on a Butler error. UWM led 28-27 before closing out the game on back-to-back kills by Cattanach.

Game three appeared to be in Butler's hands early on, with the Bulldogs dashing to a 13-8 lead following a kill by Amanda Matthews. But the Panthers rallied to within 14-13 and then finally tied the game at 19 on a kill by David. UWM built a three-point lead only to see Butler tied the game at 25 on a Panther error. The Panthers closed things out, though, with kills by Hegemann and David providing the final two points of the night.

The Panthers have played five of their first seven league contests at home but now face those tables turning on them in the second half, starting with next weekend's trip to Youngstown State and Cleveland State.

"We knew all along the hard part of our league schedule would be the second half," Litzau said. "But taking it on the road will only prepare us for the league tournament. We know teams will be different in their own gyms."

UWM is at Youngstown State Friday and Cleveland State Saturday.