Nov. 6, 2010

Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Elizabeth Egerer had 15 kills while Kerri Schuh added nine kills and 21 digs as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee clinched the outright Horizon League regular season title with a 23-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-19 win over Butler Saturday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The win, the 10th-straight by the Panthers (19-8, 14-1 Horizon), gives UWM the right to host the Horizon League Tournament in two weeks.

After dropping the first set, the Panthers pulled away late in each of the final three frames to claim their 11th Horizon League regular season crown. The victory avenges UWM's only league loss of the season, as Butler had come into Milwaukee and beaten the Panthers in five sets last month.

Melissa Jansen came off the bench to collect 10 kills while Rachel Neuberger added nine kills and eight blocks for Milwaukee. Morgan Potter had 24 digs to lead the defense, which limited Butler (17-9, 11-3) to a .132 hitting clip as UWM collected 96 digs and 10 blocks. Plus, UWM had nine service aces and served well throughout the match, helping take Butler out of its offense.

The Panthers dropped the first set in spite of a strong comeback. UWM trailed 9-3 in the early going but rallied to pull within 9-7 on a kill by Schuh. The Panthers will still within two at 13-11 after two kills by Neuberger, but Butler scored eight of the next nine points to build a 21-12 advantage. UWM wasn't done, though, pulling within 22-21 on a kill by Schuh and within 24-23 on a Butler error. But a Panther error gave the next point to the Bulldogs, putting them ahead in the match.

UWM rebounded with a convincing win in the second set. The Panthers built an 11-7 following a Butler error and never let the Bulldogs get closer than two points from there. An ace by Natalie Schmitting made it 15-11 and a kill by Melissa Jansen made it 17-13. Milwaukee then expanded the lead to six at 20-14 on a block by Egerer and Neuberger and was up 23-16 following a Schmitting kill. A kill by Egerer provided the final point and evened the match at a set apiece.

The Panthers earned a hard-fought win in the third set. UWM took the lead for good at 14-13 on a Jansen kill and the lead grew to 20-17 on a kill by Schuh. Butler did fight back to within 22-21, but the Panthers scored the final three points to wrap things up. A service error started the run, with an ace by Schuh and a Jansen kill finishing things off.

Milwaukee then finished things off with a great surge in the fourth frame. The Panthers trailed 12-9 and 14-10 in the first half of the set but took the lead for good at 16-15 on an ace by Schuh. UWM then put together a run of seven-straight points to put things away, with an ace by Anna Bartz making it 21-16 and two kills by Egerer pushing the edge to 24-16. Another kill by Egerer then finished things off, securing the title and homecourt advantage in the league tournament for the Panthers.

UWM will wrap up the regular season next Saturday night, hosting UIC in a 7 p.m. contest at the Klotsche Center. The match will mark Senior Night for Milwaukee.