UW-La Crosse beat UW-Whitewater in volleyball on Wednesday night for the first time since 2017, ending a seven-match losing streak to the Warhawks with a 3-1 win at Mitchell Hall. The set scores were 25-16, 25-16, 20-25 and 26-24.
The Eagles controlled the match early, winning each of the first two sets 25-16. A 7-0 run in the opening set helped UWL take charge, and the second set followed much the same pattern, with the Eagles scoring 11 of the first 13 points. The win moved UWL to 12-15 overall and 2-4 in the WIAC, while Whitewater fell to 14-9 and 3-3 in conference play. Whitewater came in receiving votes in the national coaches' poll.
Whitewater answered in the third set, building a narrow lead and holding it until UWL tied the score at 18-18. The Warhawks then scored seven of the next nine points and closed the set on three straight kills, two of them by Gaby DiMotto around one from Abbie Dix.
The fourth set went back and forth, and Whitewater reached set point at 24-20, one point from forcing a fifth set. UWL scored the next six points to finish the match instead, with Grace Turlais and Annie Werner combining on the final block for a 26-24 win.
Ali Dehnicke led UWL with 13 kills and a season-high 23 digs for her third double-double of the season, and Megan Jasperson also had 23 digs. Turlais added nine kills and seven assisted blocks, Lexi Champeau finished with 21 assists and Izzy Reichert had 19. For Whitewater, DiMotto had 13 kills, Aubrie Krzus tallied 30 assists and 16 digs, and Natalie Powers made 26 digs.
UWL wraps up its regular season on the road at UW-Platteville, with first serve scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6.
