Two Match Points Elude Spartan Volleyball in Five-Set Defeat
Oct 13, 2015
BOX SCORE
DUBUQUE, IOWA - Leading two sets to one, the University of Dubuque couldn't capitalize on a pair of match points in the fourth set as they drop a five-set heartbreaker during Homecoming week, 3-2 (25-23, 12-25, 25-23, 25-27, 10-15), to Wartburg College on Tuesday night.
At 23-22 and 24-23 in the fourth set the Knights (18-3, 4-1 Iowa Conference) managed to survive a pair of errant Spartan attacks and avoided seeing their 10-game winning streak snapped against the Spartans. The Spartans (12-13, 2-3 Iowa Conference) fought hard in the fifth set, but couldn't stay with the Knights after they stretched a 6-6 tie into a 10-6 advantage.
Senior Klaudia Basierak collected five of her game-high 22 kills in the first set as the Spartans outlasted the Knights, 25-23. Both teams hit a shade under .130 as it came down to long rallies and stout defense. In the second set, the Spartans hit -0.28 and were outdone from the get-go in a 25-12 defeat.
Sets three and four turned into battle royales with the Knights hitting -0.42 in the third and .245 in the fourth. Basierak, who racked up a combined 11 kills and 14 digs, and libero Kristin Wright, who collected 18 digs, were the catalysts across the pivotal sets.
Wright posted a game-high and second-highest total of the season with 32 digs. Basierak finished with a .146 hitting percentage and 18 digs while sophomore Karrah Davis and senior Amanda Reetz totaled 15 and 13 kills, respectively. Sophomores Hannah Zieser and Alyssa Cose dished out 28 and 21 assists, respectively.
UD hit .115 and Wartburg posted a .134 hitting percentage as the Knights won for the 11th straight meeting.
The Spartans continue their Homecoming slate with the Spartan Triangular this Friday, October 16 starting at 4:00 p.m. UD will take on North Central (Minn.) at 4:00 p.m., North Central (Minn.) will face Blackburn (Ill.) at 6:00 p.m., and the Spartans will oppose Blackburn (Ill.) in the night cap at 8:00 p.m.
