Sept. 14, 2007

Box Score |  Notes

CHICAGO - Jamie Gabrielsen had 13 kills and Maddie Sueppel added 11 as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee opened Horizon League play with an impressive 30-23, 30-19, 30-25 win over the University of Illinois at Chicago Friday night.

The Panthers (9-1, 1-0 Horizon) also got nine kills and 19 digs from Becky Peters in winning for the ninth-straight time.

UWM, the preseason league favorite and four-time defending regular season champion, has won 26 of its last 27 Horizon League regular season matches.

Amanda Kenny and Katerina Hanackova led UIC (7-5, 0-1) with nine kills apiece.

Milwaukee controlled the rematch of last year's Horizon League Tournament title contest from start to finish, collecting eight service aces while limiting the Flames to a .145 hitting percentage.

"We came out focused from the minute we stepped off the bus," UWM head coach Susie Johnson said. "We knew they would be after us and we know we have a target on our backs. I was impressed with our determination and in that third game they pushed us and we pushed right back."

The Panthers pulled away to win the first game. UWM took the lead for good at 11-10 on a UIC error and extended the edge to 16-11 following two-straight kills by Gabrielsen. The Flames did close to within 20-18 but Peters countered with a kill that started the final run. A kill by Nicole Vilter made it 25-18 and a kill by Sueppel pushed the edge to 27-19. The Panthers then closed out the game on an ace by Breit Nelson and another kill by Sueppel.

Milwaukee followed a similar script in the second game, gradually building on an early lead to pull away for the win. The Panthers took the lead for good at 7-6 on a kill by Natalie Schmitting and extended the lead to 12-8 on a UIC error. The Flames did cut the lead to one but a Schmitting kill rebuilt the UWM advantage to 21-16 and the Panthers never looked back. Two kills apiece by Gabrielsen and Sueppel gave Milwaukee a 28-18 lead before another kill from Sueppel followed by a block by Leanne Felsing and Sueppel finished off the frame.

UWM had a bit of a tougher time in the third game but stood strong down the stretch. The Panthers took the lead for good at 11-10 but still led just 25-24 late in the frame. A kill by Sueppel then sparked Milwaukee's late run, which also included kills by Felsing and Peters and a block from Schmitting and Felsing.

"Jamie had a great match for us. We count on her a lot, we know other teams focus on her and yet she continues to come through," Johnson said. "Our defense was fantastic again, too, and we received contributions from a number of different players."

UWM continues the opening weekend of Horizon League play with a Saturday afternoon contest at Loyola. The match begins at 4 p.m. CDT at Alumni Gym.