Oct. 23, 2004

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

MILWAUKEE - Karen Fruit had 26 kills and 17 digs as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee used a stirring comeback to claim a 22-30, 24-30, 30-27, 30-27, 15-5 win over Northern Colorado Saturday night at the Klotsche Center.

The Bears (17-8) were dominant in the first two games before the play of Fruit and sub Molly McNab helped spark the Panthers (12-7) to their eighth win in their last nine outings.

UWM seized control of the decisive fifth game with an 8-1 run at the start and never were threatened.

McNab, who appeared late in game two and then played the rest of the match, had nine kills and seven blocks. Fellow middle hitter Sarah Moore had nine kills and nine blocks. Rachel Kuebbing (14 kills) and Leanne Felsing (12 kills) reached double figures offensively for the Panthers.

Terin Ledall led four Bears in double figures with 16 kills. UNC was hitting .258 after the second game but wound up hitting just .168 for the match, including -.167 in the fifth frame.

"Northern Colorado is a very, very good team and I am so proud of my team for this win," UWM head coach Kathy Litzau said. "They had a very balanced attack with four hitters in double figures and it seemed like they were all almost there after the first two games. But we got more aggressive and we adjusted to their outside hitters some."

The comeback started in game three, as the Panthers broke open a close game with a 9-2 run that turned a 20-19 lead into a 29-20 advantage. UNC made things interesting by scoring the next seven points before a kill by Fruit closed things out for UWM.

UWM was again in control early in game four, building a 17-13 lead on a Kuebbing kill. UNC closed to within one point twice but the Panthers rebuilt a 24-20 lead on an ace by Fruit and never looked back. Another Fruit kill closed things out for the Panthers.

Then, the decisive fifth game was all UWM from start to finish. The 8-1 advantage came with help from three Fruit kills and two McNab kills. Kills by Moore and Felsing and a block by Moore and Melissa Lange finished things off for UWM.

It never looked like the Panthers would see a fifth game, let alone a victory, after the first two games, as Northern Colorado won each going away. The Bears led all the way in game one, building a 19-14 lead on a kill by Maggie Ledall. UWM rallied to within 20-18 on a kill by Fruit but UNC scored 10 of the final 14 points of the game. An ace by Danielle Angus and a kill by Lizzy Rhoads ended the frame.

Game two was tighter, with the Panthers holding a 16-15 edge on a kill by Fruit. UNC rallied to take a 19-16 lead on a kill by Angus before UWM rallied again, pulling within 22-21 on a kill by Moore. But the Bears had the final run, using kills from four different players and three UWM errors to close out the frame comfortably.

UWM's defense again was strong as the match progressed. Four players reached double figures in digs, led by Fruit's 17 and Felsing's 15. The Panthers also tallied a season-best 16 blocks.

UWM returns to action Tuesday night, hosting DePaul at 7 p.m.