MILWAUKEE – Behind a season-best .412 hitting percentage, the Milwaukee volleyball team opened Horizon League play with a win over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Friday evening in a straight-sets victory.
 
A balanced effort led the offense for Milwaukee as Josie Noble and Ella Schuetz each recorded 10 kills. Bella Lipski contributed with nine kills, and Natalie Schmitz added eight.
 
Milica Tomic paced the Panther setters with 21 assists, while Josie Johnson added 19. The duo also accounted for four of Milwaukee's seven aces, with Kati Goba adding a pair of her own.
 
Defensively, Milwaukee registered four blocks, including two apiece by Emily Hansen, Lipski, and Noble. Kara Erdmann led the team with 16 digs, while Johnson followed with six.
 
"We played really well as a team today, and it was an awesome win," exclaimed Susie Johnson after the match.
 
"We were executing in all facets of the game," Johnson added. "Kara was doing a great job passing the ball, and Milica and Josie were strong in setting up our hitters. A lot of credit to our hitters as well, we were very balanced with our hitting distribution, and they found the vulnerable spots in Oakland's defense."
 
Milwaukee committed just one error in the opening set, connecting on 17 kills. The Panthers led 11-9 before using 10-2 run to extend their lead late in the set and eventually closing out the 25-14 win on a kill by Hansen.
 
In the second set, the Panthers led 14-10 before Oakland tallied seven unanswered points to take a two-point lead. Milwaukee clawed back and set up set point at 24-23, but neither side converted until a pair of attacking errors by the Golden Grizzlies gave MKE the 27-25 set victory.
 
In the third, the offense continued to excel with 14 kills against two errors and a match-best .500 hitting percentage. A five-point Panther rally extended Milwaukee's lead to 23-13, highlighted by kills from Noble and Hansen, in addition to a Johnson service ace. After two points by Oakland, Milwaukee finished it off on a block by Noble and Hansen to secure the win with a 25-15 set victory.
 
Milwaukee and Oakland will meet in the second match of their weekend series at 2:00 p.m. inside the Klotsche Center.