by September 8, 2023
After a tough season last year, the Women’s Volleyball team at Loras College came out ready to set the tone for this season. Starting their season off at Benedictine’s Eagles Classic they went 2-1, with both wins in under 5 games.
The Duhawks were ready to go, hosting their first home game of the year against the University of Wisconsin-Platteville on September 5th. With a packed Lillis Court, the Duhawks fell short to the Pioneers in 3 sets.
SET 1
The Duhawks start down 2-0 before getting the serve back and are unable to dig up Platteville’s’ kill. Down 5-2, the Duhawks caught a break on a Pioneer attack error. Loras’s Patrycja Jarzabek came up big with an ace setting the tone for her to bring the Duhawks within one point. Going back and forth Platteville and Loras have been rallying but the next two points went to UW- Platteville. Autumn Finch slammed her setup from Sara Hoskins for a kill. Finch up to serve, she got the game back to even with multiple kills and a block from Sophie Younkin. Platteville to serve then with an error to allow Loras back at even. Going back and forth each team had their own errors, Pioneers had the momentum-changing kill. This allowed Platteville to get up by five. Jenna Bistline in to serve for the Duhawks, Jarzabek with a block then a kill. Finch with a kill then Gina DeVoe with an ace, now the Duhawaks are only down by 1. Platteville has back-to-back kills to separate themselves. Finch and Younkin with their own individual kills to make it 20-17. Platteville will take this set after a few Duhawk errors, 25-20.
SET 2
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville started off hot with 3 aces. Jarzabek got set up by Hoskins for the kill. DeVoe in to serve, and she tied it up for the Duhawks. Errors from Platteville allow for a Finch kill, then she served up an ace, Duhawks take the lead 7-6. Platteville jumps on Loras’ errors to take a lead of 11-7. Elaina Schroeder and Alexia Woltman, like a wall, blocked an attempted attack from Platteville; Younkin in to serve. Platteville had a serving error to allow Loras a chance to get some points back, Duhawks were still down 15-12. The Pioneers made the most of the attack and serving errors by Loras. The Platteville Pioneers ended the game with an ace, Pioneers won set 2, 25-18.
SET 3
Loras started with the serve this set and was able to start with a 1-0 lead. The Pioneers and the Duhawks battled it out and kept the score balanced for a handful of points. Tied at 7, the Pioneers pull multiple kills together to get up 10-7. Battling back the Duhawks got it within 1, but then the Pioneers went on a 7-1 run despite the Duhawk’s best efforts and long rallies. Finch into to serve and she stumped the Platteville defense allowing for the Duhawks to go on a 6-1 run themselves. Platteville ended the Duhawk’s hope of a fourth set with a set of kills.
Sophie Younkin led the Duhawks with 8 kills, 2 blocks, 2 aces, and 4 digs. Autumn Finch had 6 kills, 2 aces, and 5 digs of her own. This was a team effort, Sara Hoskins had 19 assists, while Jenna Bistline had 3 alongside her 8 digs. Hoskins was named A-R-C Defensive Player of the Week.
The Duhawks head out west to the Oregon Trail Classic hosted by Pacific University and George Fox University for 4 games. The Duhawks faced Linfield University this morning and their game against Pacific University just started.
