Oshkosh Beats Tough Whitewater Team (3-6-08)
The UW-Oshkosh men's volleyball team relied on team offense with all five hitters having double-digit kills in a thrilling 27-30, 30-28, 33-31, 30-25 victory over UW-Whitewater in a Wisconsin Volleyball Conference match-up held on Wednesday (March 5) in Kolf Sports Center.
After falling behind 5-1 in game one, the Titans rallied to take a 12-10 lead on a service ace by Andy Schinner (Fr. • Mequon). Trailing 17-15, the Warhawks went on a 6-1 run to take a 21-18 lead to force an UW-Oshkosh time-out. UW-Oshkosh battled back to knot the score at 27-27 before a side-out by UW-Whitewater and two hitting errors by the Titans gave the game to the Warhawks.
UW-Oshkosh (33-2/9-0 WVC) battled back, storming out to leads of 10-5 and 16-10 in game two. UW-Whitewater refused to fold as they inched back to within 29-28 before a kill by Dan Ruys (Fr. • Kimberly) evened the score at one game each.
In the critical third game UW-Oshkosh found itself down 22-17 before fighting back with an 8-3 run to tie the score at 25-25. The Warhawks took a mini 27-25 lead before the Titans scored three straight points for a 28-27 advantage. UW-Oshkosh served for game point at 29-28 before UW-Whitewater sided out and eventually took a 31-30 lead. The Titans turned the tables on the Warhawks with a three-point scoring skein for a tight 33-31 victory.
Game four was close until UW-Oshkosh took over in the later parts of the stanza. Tied at 22-22, UW-Oshkosh outscored the visitors 8-3 to end the match. Ruys ended the contest with a solo stuff giving the Titans its' 12th straight victory at home. The Titans entered the match as the number one team and the Warhawks the 24th ranked team in the latest NIRSA Division I national poll.
John Erickson led the Titans with 17 kills and six service aces. Danny Hessling (Jr. • Greenfield) and Nate Sederberg (Sr. • Racine) added16 kills each followed by Tyler Boddy (Fr. • New Ulm, Minn.) with 13 and Ruys with 11.
Schinner dished out 60 assists and added seven digs and Aaron Wayne (Sr. • New Berlin) had a team-high 16 digs. Sederberg collected 12 digs and Eric Waite (So. • Madison) came off the bench to scoop up seven digs.
The Titans struggled from behind the serving line with 21 miscues on only nine service aces. The Titans however only surrendered three receiving errors in the match.
"It was a well played match by both teams," said head coach Brian Schaefer. "We had different players step up at different times tonight which is something that we will need as the season progresses. We took baby steps in playing more like a team tonight and hopefully that will carry into the Midwest Ten Conference tournament this weekend."
UW-Oshkosh will attempt to win its sixth consecutive Midwest Ten Conference title in Milwaukee on Saturday (March 8). UW-Oshkosh currently has an unblemished 6-0 record with two more regular season matches left. With two victories the Titans will earn the number one seed entering the single elimination conference tournament portion of the day and will claim the regular season title.
"It has always been my personal opinion that winning conference titles should never get old," added Schaefer. "We have been very successful in a very strong Midwest Ten Conference and put ourselves in position for a good chance for a six-peat. We have six members of our team that have never been a part of winning the Midwest Ten Conference so hopefully everybody on the team will be gunning for the title."
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