MILWAUKEE – Playing in its Horizon League home opener, the Milwaukee volleyball team fell to visiting Green Bay in five sets on Tuesday evening, 25-14, 20-25, 17-25, 26-24, 13-15.
The Panthers cruised to a first-set win before the Phoenix claimed the next two, but Milwaukee rallied from a 24-22 deficit in the fourth to fend off four match points and force a deciding fifth.
Milwaukee again found itself in an early hole in the fifth, trailing 8-3 before a kill by
Kayla Landerud sparked a furious rally. A block, a kill by
Julia Kellner and a pair of Landerud service aces helped Milwaukee score seven of the next eight points and take a 10-9 lead. Green Bay answered with three straight points, but the Panthers responded with a pair to even the score at 12-12. Milwaukee thought it had tied the set at 14-14, but a challenge was overturned to give the Phoenix another match point. Green Bay then took three of the final four points to finish off the match.
"We certainly didn't play our best today, but we continued to stay and compete in the match," head coach
Susie Johnson said. "We have to find ways to stay composed and keep pushing, even when things aren't going the way we want them to. It is really important that this team learns how to finish. We have shown that we can compete, but now we need to learn how to put ourselves in position and finish those opportunities when they are there."
Green Bay's block was effective throughout the match, with the Phoenix holding a 14-8 advantage at the net. Kirsten Fish and Olivia Neumann led the way with eight blocks apiece, while Diane Pichelman added five. Pichelman also paced the Phoenix with 14 kills, while Fish and Gillian Koning each finished with 11.
Milwaukee was led by
Ella Parker, who was tied for the match lead with 14 kills. Landerud and
Annie Eschenbach each added nine kills, while
Emma Duffy recorded 19 assists and
Milica Tomic added 15.
The Panthers also had a season-best 10 service aces, with
Liv Doerre,
Ella Schuetz and Landerud each serving three.
Kati Goba had 28 digs, and Parker added 20, both career highs.
Milwaukee hit a match-best .235 in the opening set, with Landerud recording five kills and Eschenbach adding three. The Panthers struggled to maintain that efficiency, however, finishing the night at .074. Green Bay hit .112, moving just over the .100 mark after sitting below that mark for much of the match.
After Green Bay took the second and third sets, the Phoenix began the fourth with a commanding 18-11 lead. Milwaukee scored five straight to pull within two and eventually got as close as 21-20 before Green Bay moved back in front, 24-22. With the Phoenix holding four match points, three straight blocks by the Panthers set up Milwaukee's own set point before a Green Bay setting error clinched the set for the Panthers.
In the deciding fifth, Milwaukee again battled back from an early deficit, turning an 8-3 hole into a 10-9 lead before the Phoenix answered. The Panthers fought back to tie the set at 12-12, but Green Bay took three of the final four points to close out the match.
Milwaukee will be back at home Thursday evening at 6 p.m., when the Panthers host Northern Illinois at the Klotsche Center.
