Sept. 25, 2010

Box Score

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Natalie Schmitting had eight kills and hit .615 to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to a 25-12, 25-16, 25-10 win over Youngstown State Saturday afternoon at the Beeghly Center.

The Panthers (6-7, 3-0 Horizon) hit .329 as a team and committed just six hitting errors. Kerri Schuh and Jena Berg added six kills apiece.

Milwaukee controlled the contest from start to finish in extending its winning streak over league opponents to 14 matches.

Three players had five kills apiece to lead the Penguins (2-14, 0-3), who committed 24 hitting errors and hit just .029.

UWM wound up with 10 blocks in the contest while also outdigging YSU, 48-36. Mary Beth O'Brien had five blocks and Rachel Neuberger four in addition to the six by Schmitting. Kerri Schuh and Morgan Potter had 10 digs apiece.

The Panthers steadily pulled away to claim an easy win in the first set. Milwaukee took the lead for good at 6-5 on a kill by Elizabeth Egerer and then used a run of six-straight points to build a 14-6 advantage. After YSU pulled within 14-8, the Panthers used another six-point run to claim a 20-8 lead. The burst was capped by a block from Schmitting and O'Brien, one of four blocks in the first set for Milwaukee. Eventually, a block by O'Brien and Neuberger pushed the edge to 24-12 before a kill from Neuberger wrapped up the first set for the Panthers.

Milwaukee led almost the entire way in the second set, hitting a stellar .500 in the frame. UWM took the lead for good at 3-2 on a kill by O'Brien and extended that edge to 10-3 on a kill by Berg. YSU did pull within 12-8 but would never get any closer. A kill by Schmitting made it 17-9 and a block by Schmitting and O'Brien pushed the lead to 20-10. The finishing touches on the set came courtesy of a block by O'Brien and Neuberger and a tip kill by Neuberger.

UWM then had little trouble in the third set, bolting out to an 11-3 advantage. YSU did pull within 12-7 but Milwaukee scored the next nine points to put the match away. That run was highlighted by a pair of kills from Berg and a solo block by Schmitting. The Panthers then finished things off with kills from Schmitting and O'Brien and an ace by Berg.

Milwaukee returns home for a pair of matches next weekend. The Panthers face Valparaiso Friday night before squaring off with Loyola Saturday afternoon.