Oct. 26, 2010

Box Score

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MILWAUKEE - Kerri Schuh tallied a double-double of 16 kills and 14 digs while hitting .696 as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee captured a 25-16, 25-23, 25-19 win over DePaul Tuesday night at the Klotsche Center.

The Panthers (15-8) have now won 12 of their last 13 matches overall.

UWM was solid on offense but even better on defense. Milwaukee collected 69 digs as four players reached double figures, while the Panthers added six blocks in limiting the Blue Demons (4-21) to a .109 hitting clip.

Morgan Potter led the defense efforts with 18 digs, while Schuh (14), Jena Berg (11) and Lauren Hintze (11) also reached double digits.

Offensively, Elizabeth Egerer and Natalie Schmitting added nine kills apiece while Mary Beth O'Brien had eight.

Milwaukee had 49 total kills to just 31 for DePaul. Chelsea Kirkpatrick and Kyndell Highland had seven kills apiece to lead the Blue Demons.

"The fact that we could finish the match in three is a good sign. It's a great win," UWM head coach Susie Johnson said. "Kerri hit very well and we just wanted to keep getting her the ball. Jena did a nice job of getting her the ball and she was really efficient."

The Panthers pulled away in the first set. UWM broke a 12-all tie with three-straight points and eventually led 19-13 after a DePaul error. The Panthers' advantage was still 20-15 after a service error and Milwaukee then ended the frame with five-straight points. Two kills from Egerer and two Panther blocks highlighted the burst, putting UWM ahead in the match.

UWM nearly let all of a big lead slip away in the second set. Milwaukee trailed 10-8 in the early going but took the lead at 11-10 on a kill by Schmitting. In all, it was a run of nine-straight points that had the Panthers up 17-10. The lead did grow from there, with kills by Neuberger and Egerer making it 22-13 before a DePaul error pushed the edge to double digits at 23-13. The Blue Demons mounted quite the comeback from there, with eight-straight points closing the gap to 23-21. After a Neuberger kill ended that run, DePaul scored the next two points to pull within 24-23. But, a kill by Egerer finally ended the drama, putting Milwaukee up two sets to none.

Milwaukee then finished things off with a solid effort in the third set. The Panthers scored 10 of the first 14 points of the frame and then led 15-8 after a kill by Schmitting. The lead hit 19-10 on a kill by Schuh and DePaul would never get closer than four points from there. Kills by Berg and Schmitting pushed Milwaukee to match-point and a DePaul error provided the final point for the Panthers.

UWM heads to the road this weekend, playing a pair of key Horizon League matches while trying to stay atop the standings. Milwaukee faces Loyola Friday at 7 p.m. in Chicago before squaring off with Valparaiso Saturday at 5 p.m.