Oct. 16, 2010

Box Score

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MILWAUKEE - Melissa Jansen had eight kills and three other players added seven kills apiece as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee claimed a 25-19, 25-15, 25-16 win over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Saturday afternoon at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (12-8) had 13 blocks in limiting the Cougars (10-9) to a -.038 hitting clip for the match.

Kerri Schuh, Elizabeth Egerer and Natalie Schmitting all finished the day with seven kills, with Schmitting adding nine blocks and Schuh seven. Morgan Potter led the back-row defense with 11 digs.

Sydney Winslow had seven kills to lead SIUE, which had 34 hitting errors.

Overall, UWM was never threatened late in any of the three sets in capturing its ninth win in its last 10 matches.

"They really stayed with us for a good portion of the first half of each set," UWM head coach Susie Johnson said. "But then we showed maturity in really taking it to them and being efficient and that was the plan for today. We wanted to play with a purpose and be efficient and really finish each set and ultimately win the match, so it was good."

The Panthers used a big run to take control of the first set. UWM scored eight in a row at one point, claiming a 19-10 advantage after four-straight SIUE errors. The lead eventually hit 21-11 on an ace by Lauren Hintze and that was more than enough for Milwaukee to hold off a late Cougar rally. SIUE did pull to within 23-19, but a kill from Schuh and a block by Jena Berg and Mackenzie Millis put UWM ahead in the match.

Milwaukee again pulled away in the second set. Another run of eight-straight points put Milwaukee ahead 19-10 and SIUE would never get closer than seven points from there. Two-straight kills by Jansen made it 22-12 before the Panthers finished off the set with kills from Berg and Egerer.

UWM wrapped up the match with a solid effort in the third set. The Panthers turned a 10-9 deficit into a 14-10 lead with five-straight points and eventually led 20-13 after two-straight SIUE errors. The advantage grew to 24-15 on a block by Schmitting and Schuh before a kill by Jansen wrapped things up.

UWM returns to league play with a pair of home matches next weekend. The Panthers face Youngstown State Friday night before hosting Cleveland State Saturday afternoon.