GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - After 12 matches away from the Kress Events Center to begin the season, Green Bay (3-10, 0-1 Horizon League) finally played its home opener Saturday evening, but the Phoenix came up short in a 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-23) loss to visiting Milwaukee (4-7, 1-0 HL). The match was also the Horizon League opener for both squads.
Junior Carlie Willison (Greenfield, Wis.) led the Phoenix with a season-high 11 kills while sophomore Carmen Leitermann (Schofield, Wis.) added 10 kills and notched a .333 hitting percentage. Senior Whitney Schott (Roscoe, Ill.) directed the offense with 30 assists.
After falling behind 8-1 in the opening set, Green Bay rallied behind the play of junior Abbey Gitter (Hortonville, Wis.) and Leitermann. The Phoenix were still down 17-9 before a 9-4 run capped by a Leitermann kill closed the deficit to two at 22-20. Milwaukee scored the final three points to close the set. Gitter and Leitermann combined for eight of the team's 11 kills in the set.
Set two was tied at 7-7 before Milwaukee took control with six-straight points. The run proved to be the difference as the set ended with a six-point Panther edge.
Green Bay jumped off to a good start in the third set, and used a Karli Koralewski (Muskego, Wis.) ace and a Lietermann kill to lead 18-14. The Phoenix led 22-20 when the Panthers rattled off four-straight points. After a kill by Kara Lindstedt (Shoreview, Minn.) closed the deficit to one, Milwaukee ended the match.
The match will be televised tape delay by Time Warner Cable on Sports 32 and channel 411 Wisconsin On Demand. On Sports 32, it can be viewed Monday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept, 21 at 10 a.m., Friday, Sept, 24 at 12 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 26 at 12 p.m.
After the brief stint at home, Green Bay returns to the road next weekend, playing at Youngstown State Friday at 7 p.m. and at Cleveland State Saturday at 4 p.m. The Phoenix returns home on Sept. 30, hosting Chicago State at 7 p.m.
Milwaukee def. Green Bay 25-20, 25-19, 25-23
Milwaukee (4-7, 1-0 HL) (Kills-aces-blocks)
SCHUH, Kerri 8-2-0; SCHMITTING, Natalie 7-0-3; BERG, Jena 7-0-1; EGERER, Elizabeth 7-0-0; O'BRIEN, Mary Beth 6-0-1; NEUBERGER, Rachel 4-0-0; POTTER, Morgan 0-1-0; Totals 39-3-4.0. (Assists) - BERG, Jena 26. (Dig leaders) - BERG, Jena 13; SCHUH, Kerri 13; HINTZE, Lauren 10; BARTZ, Anna 10; POTTER, Morgan 10
Green Bay (3-10, 0-1 HL) (Kills-aces-blocks)
WILLISON, Carlie 11-0-2; LEITERMANN, Carmen 10-0-2; GITTER, Abbey 7-0-1; MISCHLER, Kelly 5-0-0; LINDSTEDT, Kara 3-3-0; VAN ZEELAND, Leah 1-0-1; SCHOTT, Whitney 0-0-1; KORALEWSKI, Karli 0-1-0; Totals 37-4-5.0. (Assists) - SCHOTT, Whitney 30. (Dig leaders) - GROTH, Brittany 18; LINDSTEDT, Kara 12; WILLISON, Carlie 8; KORALEWSKI, Karli 8
