Sept. 3, 2011

Box Score  |  Match Report

DES MOINES, Iowa - Rachel Neuberger had 17 kills and tournament most valuable player Kerri Schuh added 15 as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee claimed the title of the Sheraton West Des Moines Drake Invitational with a 25-16, 25-16, 24-26, 25-18 win over the host Bulldogs Saturday night at the Knapp Center.

The Panthers (5-1) have won four-straight matches and claimed an in-season tournament title for the first time since 2008.

Neuberger's 17 kills were a collegiate-high, the third-straight match in which a Panther veteran has established a new best on offense. She joined Schuh on the all-tournament team, as did libero Morgan Potter, who led Milwaukee's defense with 24 digs. The Panthers tallied 93 digs in the match and had five players reach double figures, helping limit Drake to a .077 hitting clip.

Mikayla Sims had 11 kills for Drake (2-4).

Milwaukee completely controlled the first two sets before slipping up in the third frame. But the Panthers reestablished command quickly in the fourth set to wrap up a perfect weekend.

"We're really excited we won the tournament," UWM head coach Susie Johnson said. "We were able to pull it together and finish it out with a win. We had some bumps in this match but we were able to come through."

Schuh came through down the stretch for Milwaukee, collecting seven of her 15 kills in the fourth set. She added 17 digs and five blocks in earning MVP honors after setting a collegiate-high with 24 kills earlier Saturday.

"She was able to adapt and adjust in the match and that's what a veteran player does," Johnson said. "She's a great player and she came through for us. We needed her to lead us and she was able to do that."

The Panthers convincingly won the first set. Milwaukee actually got off to a slow start, falling behind 6-2. But UWM rallied to take a 10-8 lead and then grabbed the lead for good at 11-10 on a kill by Hannah Blanchard. The lead hit 18-13 on a Drake hitting error and grew to 20-14 on a kill by Neuberger. In all, Milwaukee wound up scoring 15 of the final 21 points of the frame, with two more kills by Neuberger highlighting the final surge.

It was more of the same for UWM in the second set. The Panthers went ahead for good at 8-7 and led 15-10 after two-straight kills from Mackenzie Millis and a Drake error. The advantage grew to 18-12 on a Schuh kill and was 23-14 following two-straight aces by Anna Bartz. A kill by Blanchard and a Bulldog service error provided the final two points for Milwaukee, putting the Panthers up 2-0 in the match.

The Panthers were unable to wrap up the match in the third set. After Milwaukee took an early 6-2 lead, Drake countered with 15 of the next 21 points for a 17-12 advantage. The Panthers scored the next eight points, with three kills from Neuberger highlighting a burst that made it 20-17. UWM still led 23-21 after a kill by Millis before Drake scored three in a row to claim a set-point chance. The Panthers were able to fight that off thanks to a Bulldog hitting error, but Sims tallied a kill and the Bulldogs added a block to officially extend the match.

Milwaukee wasted little time in settling back into the match in the fourth frame. The Panthers scored seven of the first 10 points and were never seriously threatened. A solo block by Schuh made it 13-7 and another Panther block extended the lead to 15-8. Drake was able to pull within two at 18-16 but the Bulldogs would get no closer. Two kills by Schuh sandwiched around a kill by Mary Beth O'Brien made it 22-17 and the Panthers wrapped things up from there.

UWM is home for the first time next week, playing four times at the Klotsche Center. Acton starts Tuesday with a 7 p.m. contest against Northern Illinois.