Aug. 26, 2011

Box Score  |  Match Report

TEMPE, Ariz. - Kerri Schuh had 17 kills and Elizabeth Egerer added 11 as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee opened its 2011 season with a 25-22, 25-20, 20-25, 25-22 win over San Jose State Friday in the opening match of the ASU Sheraton Classic.

The Panthers overcame sluggish stretches on offense with a solid defensive effort, as Milwaukee tallied nine blocks and 57 digs in limiting San Jose State to a .145 hitting clip.

Taylor Japhet led the Spartans with 12 kills, but San Jose State had 18 service errors and 28 hitting errors.

Milwaukee won the first two sets but let an early lead slip away in the third frame. The Panthers then steadily took some control of the fourth set to hang on for the victory.

"It's a win - I'll take it," UWM head coach Susie Johnson said. "We were playing with some young players and some returners, so they are meshing together and I thought it was a really good first win. That team didn't give up ... they were digging the ball and digging the ball, so we had to finish plays."

Milwaukee overcame a bit of a slow start and a late rally to hang on for the win in the first set. San Jose State scored four of the first five points of the set before Milwaukee took the lead for good at 9-8 on a Spartan error. A kill by Egerer extended the lead to 12-9 and the Panthers eventually led 19-12 after two more Spartan errors. Milwaukee did let the advantage slip some, with an error bringing San Jose State to within two at 23-21. But Schuh responded with a kill to help Milwaukee regain control and the Panthers closed things out on a SJSU service error.

UWM again had to fight back after a slow start in the second set. Milwaukee trailed 8-4 and 15-10 in the early going of the frame before rallying to tie the set at 16 on a San Jose State error. The Panthers went ahead for good at 21-20 on a kill by Egerer and never looked back. A block by Mackenzie Millis and Schuh pushed the lead to 22-20 before kills by Schuh and Egerer made it 24-20. UWM then wrapped up the frame on a Spartan error.

The Panthers finally got off to a decent start in the third set but could not sustain it. After Milwaukee had a 9-6 lead, San Jose State scored eight-straight points to take control of the frame. The lead hit 20-15 and UWM would never get closer than three points after that. A kill by Egerer brought Milwaukee within 23-20, but SJSU scored the next two points to stay alive in the match.

Milwaukee slowly pushed itself ahead in the fourth set to wrap up the match. The Panthers led by as many as three points in the early going of the frame and eventually snapped an 18-all tie on two-straight kills by Mary Beth O'Brien. A block by Schuh and Rachel Neuberger pushed the lead to 21-18 and San Jose State never got closer than two points after that. The 28th hitting error of the night by the Spartans then finished things off for the Panthers.

UWM continues play in the tournament Saturday with a pair of matches. Milwaukee will square off with the hosts from Arizona State at noon local time (2 p.m. in Milwaukee) before facing Denver at 5:30 p.m. PST (7:30 p.m. in Milwaukee).