Box Score

The UW-Parkside volleyball team earned its first win of the year with a hard-fought, 3-1 (25-19, 22-25, 25-23, 25-23) victory over the University of St. Francis (Ill.). The Rangers rode a strong offensive attack recording 62 kills with four players reaching double figures. Addie Kramer led the way with 15, Caroline Langer and Cassy Marx each had 14, while Bridget Nickel contributed 12.
 
“We've got a great offense,” said head coach Christine Paciero who recorded her first win at UW-Parkside. “Right now the challenge for us, and what we need to get better at, is our defense and our passing. Clearly we have a potent offense when we get the ball in the right spots.”
 
The opening set was tight early before the Rangers used a 7-2 spurt to take a 20-14 lead. Consecutive blocks and a kill by Adrienne Uthe opened up the lead. The Saints pulled within three but a kill by Nickel and a block by Kramer sealed the win.
 
In the second set, neither team led by more than three as play went back-and-forth. The set was tied at 22 before the Saints scored the final three points with Ashley Thompson slamming home a kill to knot the match.
 
Game three went down to the wire as well after the Rangers seemed to be in control at 21-16. St. Francis rattled off five straight points to even the score before Parkside answered. Marx started the run with a kill before Uthe and Nickel combined on a block for a two-point lead. Nickel eventually finished it with a spike for a 25-23 win.
 
Parkside never trailed in the final set but the Saints hung tough and narrowed a five-point deficit to one at 24-23. But Brooke Schowalter was able to finish things with a kill off a Saints blocker to seal the win.
 
“Our effort level was high and it was good to see that,” said Paciero. “I think we found the lineup we want and now we have to figure out the nuances of our system. I think we'll keep getting better and better. It'll take some time to develop some chemistry in our system but with having a lot of experience players I know we can get there.”
 
Stacie Bower led the defense with 12 digs while Stack had 10 to go with her team-high 28 assists. Uthe was the block leader with five while Kramer had four and Nickel added three.
 
UW-Parkside is back in action Friday night as they open Great Lakes Valley Conference play with a 7:00 p.m. match against Kentucky Wesleyan. The Rangers will begin league play with their sights set on reaching the GLVC Tournament for the first time since 2003.