(GREEN BAY ATHLETICS) GREEN BAY – The Green Bay volleyball team extended its winning streak to seven games with another 3-2 win over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies Saturday at the Kress Events Center.
Green Bay needed five sets to secure victory once again. After they grabbed a two-sets-to-none lead, Oakland responded to take the third and fourth sets before the Phoenix finished off their victory with a 15-4 fifth-set win.
The conference win improved Green Bay’s record to 9-4 overall and 2-0 in Horizon League action.
The Phoenix offense was paced by Gillian Koning, who finished with a season-high 21 kills on the day while accumulating a hitting percentage of .263. Kirsten Fish added 13 while Diane Pichelman chipped in with 12 as part of a balanced Green Bay attack. Defensively, GB had three players reach double figures in digs, including Alexa Hernandez’s 25, 20 from Macy Kline, and 15 more from Kelsey Justman. From the front row, Olivia Neumann contributed five blocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 | The Phoenix grabbed control with the first point and held the lead the rest of the way to secure the first set win, 25-16. Green Bay led by as many as 10 points, at 24-14, before finishing off the set shortly after.
SET 2 | Green Bay won the second set 25-19 to swiftly grab a 2-0 lead. The Phoenix never trailed by more than five points and grabbed the advantage for good at 15-14 in a set that featured nine ties and seven lead changes. Green Bay was helped by three aces in the set.
SET 3 | Oakland battled back in the third set with a strong performance on the offensive end. They racked up 18 kills with a .277 hitting percentage en route to a 25-19 win to make it 2-1 Green Bay.
SET 4 | Green Bay then dropped their second straight set 25-18 to bring the match level at two sets apiece. The two teams were knotted up at 11 apiece before a 5-0 run put Oakland in the driver’s seat, which they took advantage of.
SET 5 | The Phoenix bounced back and made quick work of Oakland in the fifth set. After jumping out to a 9-1 lead, the Phoenix cruised to the 15-4 set win.
GAME NOTES
» Green Bay had three players in double figures in kills and digs.
» Diane Pichelman had a team-high two aces in the win.
» Gillian Koning has finished with 20+ kills twice in as many days.
» Green Bay attackers were helped by a match-high 46 assists from Alexa Hernandez.
COMING UP
The Phoenix continue conference play next week, beginning a four-game road trip against Horizon League opponents, starting at Milwaukee to face the Panthers on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. CST.
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