GREEN BAY, Wis.
(GreenBayPhoenix.com) - Green Bay (4-9,
1-1 HL) hosted a block party Friday night at the Kress Events Center, tallying
15 team blocks en route to a dominating 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-21, 25-21) of visiting
Valparaiso (10-6, 1-1 HL) in the conference home opener for the Phoenix.
It was Green Bay's first home contest in 24 days, and
the team's impressive defense ensured that it was a victorious return. Junior Carmen Leitermann (Schofield, Wis.) and seniors Abbey Gitter (Hortonville, Wis.) and Kelly Mischler
(Kaukauna, Wis.) had eight, seven and six kills respectively in the match while
junior libero Brittany Groth (Oak Creek, Wis.) was one of
three Green Bay players to reach double digits in digs with a team-high 17.
Statistically the top defensive team in the conference
coming in, Valpo managed just one block as the Phoenix hit .238 as a team.
Gitter, Mischler and sophomore Lyndsay Zabkowicz (Oak Creek, WIs.) each tallied seven kills to just one error
while sophomore Leah Van Zeeland
(Kaukauna, Wis.) recorded a match-high 12 kills.
Green Bay used staggering runs in both the first and
second sets to claim a 2-0 lead heading to intermission. The Phoenix scored six
points in a row and 10 of the final 12 in the opening set to turn a 15-15 tie
into a 25-17 win. In the second, the Crusaders took a 15-10 lead midway through
before Green Bay rattled off 12 of the next 13 points and turn the five-point
deficit into a six-point lead.
Looking to put away Valpo, the Phoenix led 13-8 early
in the third, but the Crusaders closed to tie the score at 15. It remained
close the rest of the way, but Valpo never regained the lead. Fittingly, the
Phoenix finished the contest on back-to-back blocks from Leitermann.
In all, six players tallied a block for the Phoenix as
it held Valpo to a hitting percentage of just .065. The Crusaders had 35 kills
but also posted 26 errors. Meanwhile, Green Bay totaled 41 kills to just 12
errors.
Sophomore Leah Poel (Jenison, Mich.) directed the offense with 31 assists and also played
well defensively with nine digs and four blocks. Sophomore Sabrina Marunowski
(Milwaukee, Wis.) and Zabkowicz added 12 and 10 digs, respectively.
Green Bay will have a quick turnaround before hosting
UIC Saturday at 4 p.m.
Green Bay 3,
Valpo 0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-21)
Valparaiso
(10-6, 1-1 HL)
DOOMS, Sarah 8-0-0; BRITTON, Katie 6-0-0; POKORNY,
Jenny 5-0-0; VANDEN BERG, Ellen 5-0-0; BEIL, Morgan 4-0-1; HOBBS, Janelle
2-0-0; DENT, Mary 2-0-0; ROOT, Taylor 1-0-0; HAUCH, Lindsey 1-1-0; GROESBECK,
Amy 1-0-0; CUDNEY, Ariel 0-1-0; Totals 35-2-1.0. (Assists) - POKORNY, Jenny 21.
(Dig leaders) - ROOT, Taylor 21; HAUCH, Lindsey 10; DOOMS, Sarah 10
Green Bay
(4-9, 1-1 HL)
VAN
ZEELAND, Leah 12-1-2; GITTER, Abbey 7-0-6; MISCHLER, Kelly 7-0-7; ZABKOWICZ,
Lyndsay 7-0-1; LEITERMANN, Carmen 6-0-8; WILLISON, Carlie 1-0-0; POEL, Leah 1-1-4;
MARUNOWSKI, Sabrina 0-2-0; GROTH, Brittany 0-1-0; Totals 41-5-15.0. (Assists) -
POEL, Leah 31. (Dig leaders) - GROTH, Brittany 17; MARUNOWSKI, Sabrina 12;
ZABKOWICZ, Lyndsay 10; POEL, Leah 9; VAN ZEELAND, Leah 8
