MADISON, Wis. – The High Point University volleyball team fell in straight sets to No. 6 Wisconsin and dropped a 3-1 match to No. 24 Marquette. The Panthers dropped to 4-3 on the season.
Sydney Palazzolo led HPU with 17 kills on the day while
Jenny Wessling posted 25 digs.
Ally Van Eekeren passed out 31 assists with eight kills.
GAME 1
Site: UW Fieldhouse
Score: High Point 0 (10, 11, 14), No. 6 Wisconsin 3 (25, 25, 25)
Records: High Point (4-2, 0-0), No. 6 Wisconsin (3-1, 0-0)
The Badgers got out to a quick start, jumping out to a 6-2 lead before
Maggie Salley put down one of her two kills in the set to end the rally.
HPU got within 15-10, but Wisconsin closed the set on a 10-0 run to take the early 1-0 lead.
Wisconsin picked up where they left off in the second set, jumping out to a 5-0 lead and forcing the Panther timeout. A service error gave High Point its first point of the set, but another 7-0 run put the visitors in a 12-2 hole.
Three
Sydney Palazzolo kills brought HPU back within 13-7, but the Badgers would score six in a row and close set two on a 6-1 run.
The Panthers stayed close early in set three, getting within 9-8 on a service ace from
Maria Miggins and another kill from Salley.
A 4-0 run extended Wisconsin's lead to five before the Badgers eventually closed the final set on an 8-2 run.
GAME 2
Site: UW Fieldhouse
Score: High Point 1 (23, 10, 25, 18), No. 24 Marquette 3 (25, 25, 19, 25)
Records: High Point (4-3, 0-0), No. 24 Marquette (3-1, 0-0)
High Point started hot against the Golden Eagles, taking an early 9-5 lead with three kills from
Sydney Palazzolo and an ace from
Dylan Maberry.
Marquette started chipping away, then used an 8-1 run to take the 17-13 lead late in the set.
HPU battled back to tie the set with kills from
Ally Van Eekeren, Palazzolo, and
Gabrielle Idlebird.
Three kills from Maberry got the Panthers back within 23-21, but both sides traded points as the Golden Eagles earned the first set win.
Marquette blitzed the Panthers in the second set, jumping out to a 14-0 lead that would set up the home team for a 25-10 win.
Despite trailing 5-1 early in set three, High Point rallied with kills from
Sopheea Mink and Idlebird to get back within 7-5.
A 6-0 HPU run gave the Purple and White the 11-8 lead with Van Eekeren, Maberry, and
Lucy Dumford kills.
Another 5-1 run put the visitors up 19-15 late in the set behind kills from Van Eekeren, Mink, and Maberry.
HPU held the advantage over the Golden Eagles the rest of the way and closed on a 3-0 run to extend the match.
The fourth set was just as entertaining as the first three, with both sides trading points and runs as HPU held the 11-10 lead.
But Marquette fired back a 9-3 run to hold the 19-14 advantage. While High Point fired off three kills from Idlebird, Van Eekeren, and Maberry, the Golden Eagles closed the match on a 5-0 run to seal the win.
Up Next: The Panthers travel to Fairfield, Conn., next week to take on Fairfield, Howard, and Sacred Heart.
#GoHPU
