WHITEWATER, Wis. (Duhawks.com) - The Loras women's volleyball team dropped both matches on the first night of the Dig Panici Classic, falling to No. 23 UW-Oshkosh, 3-0, and the hosts No. 11 UW-Whitewater, 3-1. Junior
Haley Bergan compiled 46 digs over the course of two matches, averaging 6.57 digs per set. Senior
Danni Kennedy led the offense with 18 kills while tallying five blocks.
MOMENT THAT MATTERED
Loras vs. UW-Oshkosh
Set One
- UW-Oshkosh opened with a 10-4 lead to start the set and continued to build off the early momentum.Â
- The Titans' lead ballooned to 18-6, backed by a six-point service run by Laura Trochinski.Â
- Sophomore Reilly Kuhn earned all three of her kills in a late effort, as the Duhawks dropped the first set, 25-14.Â
Set Two
- UW-Oshkosh started the second set the same way the first ended, breaking out to an early 11-2 lead.Â
- The Duhawks refused to back down, fighting their way back to a three-point deficit at 21–18 thanks to timely hitting. As a team, Loras posted a .208 attack percentage in set two.
- The Titans earned set point at 24-19, however big blocks from senior Danni Kennedy and stellar defense from junior Haley Bergan fought back to bring the set to 24-23.
- A kill from Samantha Jaeke ended the Duhawks' rally, handing the UW-Oshkosh the victory at 25-23.
Set Three
- Building off of the momentum from the late rally in set two, Loras started the third set with a 9-3 lead.Â
- Freshman Michelle Budden put away four of her team-high eight kills in the set.
- An eight-point run from Rachel Gardner allowed the Titans to overtake the set at 17-11 advantage.
- Three late attack errors put the set out of reach for the Duhawks, losing 25-22.
Loras vs. UW-Whitewater
Set One
- The beginning of the match went back and forth until Jenna Erickson earned Loras a 12-10 lead off an aggressive and well-placed serve.Â
- Both sides traded points for a majority of the opening frame until the Duhawks found themselves at set point leading 24-23.
- Out of the timeout, the Warhawks responded with three consecutive points to close out the set, 26-24.
Set Two
- Loras opened set two on a 3-0 run thanks to a powerful line-shot from sophomore Claire Ritchie.
- Ritchie finished with 11 kills and paced the offense with 21 assists on the match.Â
- Much like the first set, UW-Whitewater showcased its consistency, battling back to even the match at 20-all, benefiting from a number of Duhawk errors.
- The Duhawks regained their composure and earned the win with a kill from Kennedy and an ace from senior Jenna Erickson at 25–23. Erickson finished the match with three service aces.Â
Set Three
- Neither team had a clear advantage throughout the set until the late stages when the Warhawks opened a 17-14 lead.Â
- The Duhawks played steady but were unable to shorten the gap, losing the set 25-20.
Set Four
- After a well-paced start, three consecutive Duhawk errors allowed UW-Whitewater to open a 12-10 lead.Â
- Three untimely service errors made it hard for Loras to find an offensive rhythm, losing the final set, 25-19.Â
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Danni Kennedy I Against UW-Oshkosh, Kennedy compiled an impressive stat line of seven kills, five total blocks and two services aces.Â
Haley Bergan I Bergan kept the Duhawks in the match against UW-Whitewater defensively with 25 digs. After Friday's matches, Bergan needs eight digs to reach 500 for the season.
UP NEXT
The Duhawks return to Russell Arena for the second day of the Dig Panici Classic on Saturday. Loras is scheduled to play Carthage at 10 a.m. and UW-Stevens Point at 2 p.m.
