GREEN BAY, Wis. – Behind a historic 16-block effort by the Milwaukee volleyball team, the Panthers knocked off host Green Bay in four sets on Tuesday evening at the Kress Center.
 
Josie Noble led the way for the Panthers with a brilliant all-around effort, finishing with 13 kills on a .480 hitting percentage with 13 blocks.
 
Noble was one of four Panthers to reach double figures in kills. Natalie Schmitz posted a team-best 15 kills, while Ella Schuetz recorded 12 kills and 14 digs for her second double-double of the season. Annie Eschenbach added 10 kills and contributed to four of Milwaukee's blocks.
 
It was a complete team effort for the Panthers, who totaled 59 kills on 55 assists, along with seven service aces and a season-best 87 digs to complement their dominant blocking display.
 
Josie Johnson tallied a season-high 28 assists and added two service aces, while Milica Tomic finished with 18 assists. Kara Erdmann collected a season-best with 31 digs and chipped in with two aces from the service line. Julia Kellner notched six blocks, and Kati Goba added a season-high 13 digs.
 
"I'm so proud of this team," commented head coach Susie Johnson. "This was an important team win, and we trusted each other and stayed discipline."
 
After narrowly dropping the opening set, 30-28, the Panthers bounced back with 25-21 and 25-20 victories in the next two frames. During that stretch, Green Bay was held to just a .112 hitting percentage as Milwaukee's block proved highly effective, totaling 14 blocks over the three sets.
 
"Our block was awesome tonight in creating great defensive plays … what an impressive effort," added Johnson.
 
The fourth set was another tight battle, requiring extra points before Milwaukee secured three of the final four to clinch the 26-24 win and the four-set victory.
 
The match featured 43 ties and 19 lead changes, including 10 in the second set along before the Panthers closed it out with a dominant five-point run highlighted by three blocks.
 
Milwaukee's 16 blocks marked its highest total since 2017, when the team posted 17 in a neutral-site match against NC State in Ann Arbor, Mich. It also stands as the second-highest total by a Horizon League team in a conference match this season, behind Wright State's 17 against Northern Kentucky on Sept. 30.
 
Individually, Noble became the first Panther to record double-digit blocks in a match since Ari Miller tallied 10 against Oakland on Oct. 13, 2019. The program record for blocks in a four-set match remains 19, set by Maddie Sueppel on Sept. 12, 2009, against Marquette.
 
Erdmann also surpassed 1,500 career digs with her fourth of the contest, becoming just the seventh player in program history to reach that milestone.
 
Milwaukee will look carry its momentum into its final homestand of the regular season, beginning Friday at 6:00 p.m. against Purdue Fort Wayne inside the Klotsche Center.