DIII Women's Volleyball

A source for NCAA Division III women's volleyball info and opinion, with a focus on Regions VIII & IX

#1 Oshkosh ekes by #14 Eau Claire

No. 14 UW-Eau Claire had a lot going against it tonight. The Blugolds’ leading hitter and blocker, Liz Amici, was joined on crutches by libero Lindsey Smith, one of the best in the conference and the region. The Blugolds were also playing the No. 1 UW Oshkosh Titans, who had won their last 23 matches at Kolf Sports Center, for what will probably turn out to be the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season title.

Despite all that, Eau Claire mixed and matched players and came within two points of sending it to a fifth set before falling 3-1.

Choose a past-tense, vivid action verb: escaped, survived, slipped by, wriggled away, etc. That’s what the Titans did tonight.

Eau Claire (14-3, 1-2 WIAC) came out on fire in Set 1 before Oshkosh (21-0, 5-0) woke up halfway through and pulled away. Set 2 was a breeze for Oshkosh, thanks to a leaky Eau Claire receive and back-row D. But the Blugolds changed liberos for Sets 3 and 4, and the difference was evident.

In the third and fourth sets, Eau Claire kept pounding short crosses off of right-side slides. Nobody was home on the Titan side, and Set 3 was a comfortable Eau Claire win. Set 4 went back and forth until, again, the Titans woke up. Down 19-17, Oshkosh tied it up at 19 and at 21 before getting to match point at 24-21. Momentum swung the other way behind a questionable noncall, a block and a kill, tying the set at 24. A sideout and a kill on an overpass ended it, allowing Oshkosh to escape/survive/etc.

If Smith and Amici were available for Eau Claire tonight, I doubt the Titans would still be undefeated with the way both teams played tonight. That’s a scrappy bunch in blue and gold this year. And they have the best road fans I’ve seen this season. I was impressed with everything about the ’09 Eau Claire team.

Were you there? Do you have anything to add?

-Ricky Nelson

Written by Ricky Nelson

October 2, 2009 at 8:35 pm

Posted in Uncategorized

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2 Responses

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  1. Yes I was there. Smith might be one of the best liberos in the conference but Oshkosh’s Christina Cahoon is the best. Cahoon was not 100% healthy against Eau Claire as she was playing with back spasms. My only other comment is after set two, which was won so easily by the Titans, sometimes there’s a natural tendency for a letdown. That in fact happened in set three. I do agree, Eau Claire was scrappy, but if the two players who were injured could’ve played for the Blugolds, whose to say Oshkosh doesn’t raise their level of play another notch!

    Bob Liebetrau

    October 3, 2009 at 9:32 am


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