GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - Sophomore Brittany Groth (Oak Creek, Wis.) had a career-high 36 digs and Green Bay (7-14, 3-5 HL) jumped out to a 2-0 lead Sunday afternoon, but league-leading Butler (12-7, 7-1 HL) rallied to earn a hard-fought 3-2 win (21-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-10) in Horizon League volleyball action at the Kress Events Center.             

In the decisive fifth set, Butler took an early 6-2 lead and never relinquished it. Back-to-back kills from junior Abbey Gitter (Hortonville, Wis.) closed the deficit to 11-9, but the Bulldogs responded to close the match.

Gitter continued her recent strong play, surpassing her previous career high with 22 kills. The junior had just three errors on 50 swings and tallied a .380 hitting percentage. Senior Whitney Schott (Roscoe, Ill.) also posted a career high Sunday, tallying 66 assists on Green Bay's 72 kills.

Sophomore Carmen Leiterman (Schofield, Wis.) added 14 kills while freshman Lyndsay Zabkowicz (Oak Creek, Wis.) notched 10, including eight in the first two sets.

After being tied at 19 in the opening set, Green Bay pulled away with strong offense late. The Phoenix took the lead for good at 20-19 on a Zabkowicz kill, and back-to-back kills by Zabkowicz and junior Kelly Mischler (Kaukauna, Wis.) ended the set, 25-21. The freshman Zabkowicz had five kills on six swings in the opening set as the Phoenix hit .300 as a team with 17 kills.

Groth sparked the Phoenix to another set win in the second with outstanding defense. The libero had 15 digs in the set alone, including an incredible diving dig which led to a Gitter kill and a 22-19 Green Bay lead. Gitter's seventh kill of the set and 11th of the match gave the Phoenix a 2-0 lead.

Groth's 36 digs were among the best in school history, tying for third all-time with Megan Elfering, who had 36 against Milwaukee on Nov. 2, 2007.

"She played outstanding, both yesterday and today," said head coach Debbie Kirch. "She has had a really good season adjusting to her new role as a libero, but this weekend we saw her really reading hitters. She has an amazing quickness, so now matching that with being able to read the hitters makes her really good in that role. I was really proud of the way she played this weekend."

After trailing throughout set three, Green Bay rallied to get back in it, tying the set at 21 on back-to-back kills from freshman Monica Anderson (Cottage Grove, Wis.) and Mischler. Butler scored four of the set's final five points to extend the match.

Leitermann had six kills in set four, but the visiting Bulldogs jumped ahead early and led throughout a 25-19 fourth set victory, forcing the decisive fifth set.

Green Bay takes a break from Horizon League play on Wednesday, hosting Marquette at 7 p.m. The match will serve as Green Bay's Compete to Beat match in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month. The teams will be playing with pink game balls and wearing pink warm-ups for the match.

Butler def. Green Bay 21-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-10

Butler (12-7, 7-1 HL) (Kills-aces-blocks)
WOLFE, Jessica 23-1-1; BAMIRO, Maureen 19-0-7; LESTER, Susan 9-1-2; RANDICH, Claire 7-0-2; HARBISON, Maggie 5-0-4; VERA, Gina 2-0-2; LEE, Jalesa 1-0-1; Totals 66-2-11.0. (Assists) - VERA, Gina 57. (Dig leaders) - DAPRILE, Katie 29; HARBISON, Maggie 21; WOLFE, Jessica 18; LESTER, Susan 14; VERA, Gina 11

Green Bay (7-14, 3-5 HL) (Kills-aces-blocks)
GITTER, Abbey 22-0-2; LEITERMANN, Carmen 14-0-2; ZABKOWICZ, Lyndsay 10-0-0; MISCHLER, Kelly 9-0-1; LINDSTEDT, Kara 8-0-1; ANDERSON, Monica 6-0-1; SCHOTT, Whitney 3-1-2; Totals 72-1-6.0. (Assists) - SCHOTT, Whitney 66. (Dig leaders) - GROTH, Brittany 36; LINDSTEDT, Kara 20; SCHOTT, Whitney 17; MARUNOWSKI, Sabrina 14; KORALEWSKI, Karli 10