Southward Named To Third NCAA All-America Team

Christina Southward is just one of three players in the history of the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball program to be named All-America for the third time. Southward, a senior setter from St. Anthony, Minn., was selected to the 2001 NCAA Division III All-America first team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) after being a first team honoree in 2000 and a second team pick in 1999. Previous three-time All-Americans from UW-Oshkosh were Amy Cayemberg from 1989-91 and Amy Ward from 1994-96. Joining Southward as a repeat selection on the 2001 NCAA Division III All-America first team were Christa Downey of Nazareth College, Melinda Erickson of UW-Whitewater, Betsy Owens of the College of Mount St. Joseph and Brandy Workinger of Juniata College. Other players named to the 12-member first team were Kristy Dettman and Allison Erickson of UW-Whitewater, Sara Boyles of Colorado College, Katie Larsen of Bethel College, Rebecca Rotello of Washington University, Julie Weatherred of Whitworth College and Ryan Winn of the University of La Verne. Southward totaled 1,465 assists, 506 digs, 106 service aces and a .425 hitting percentage this past season to share WIAC Player of the Year honors with UW-Whitewater's Allison Erickson. Playing in 120 of the Titans' 123 games, Southward also contributed 309 kills, 99 blocks and 15 triple-doubles (kills, assists & digs). She was named NCAA Division III Player of the Week once and WIAC Player of the Week twice during the 2001 campaign. In 2000, Southward played in all 134 games for UW-Oshkosh, totaling 1,846 assists, 442 digs, 305 kills, 95 blocks, 74 service aces and a NCAA Division III-leading .472 hitting percentage. In 1999, Southward played in all 123 games for the Titans, compiling 1,478 assists, 406 digs, 245 kills, 77 blocks, 63 service aces and a NCAA Division III-leading .464 hitting percentage. In 1998, Southward played in 131 of the Titans' 134 games, recording 1,333 assists, 280 digs, 222 kills, 78 services aces, 48 blocks and a .378 hitting percentage. Southward's career totals are also impressive, owning UW-Oshkosh records with her 6,122 assists, 1,634 digs, 1,081 kills, 321 service aces, 319 blocks and a .436 hitting percentage. In the WIAC, the four-time all-league selection ranks first in career assists and career hitting percentage and third in career service aces. Nationally, Southward ranks third in the NCAA Division III in career hitting percentage and fourth in career assists. UW-Oshkosh compiled a 32-5 record, shared the WIAC title and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division III Championship this past season.

Three Titans Selected To NCAA All-Region Team

UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball players Jessie Goffard, Kristi Kujak and Christina Southward have received NCAA Division III All-Midwest Region accolades by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

Joining the UW-Oshkosh trio on the 12-member NCAA Division III All-Midwest Region squad were Kristy Dettman, Allison Erickson, Melinda Erickson and Angie Wildish of UW-Whitewater, Katie Carrier of St. Norbert College, Jen Frantz of Elmhurst College, Tiffany Hamblin of Illinois Wesleyan University, Brooke Kaiser of UW-Platteville and Kiersten Madden of Augustana College. Allison Erickson was selected to the NCAA Division III All-Midwest Region team for the fourth time, while Melinda Erickson and Southward were chosen for the third.

Goffard, a senior left-side hitter from Kimberly, made an immediate impact for UW-Oshkosh this past year after transferring from NCAA Division I University of New Mexico. She totaled 479 kills, 367 digs, 73 blocks and 55 service aces for the Titans despite missing the first nine matches due to an injury. Goffard had double-digit kills in all 26 matches that she played, including 32 against UW-Eau Claire to set a UW-Oshkosh record and tie a WIAC mark. Goffard's performance against the Blugolds gained her NCAA Division III Player of the Week recognition. Earlier this month, Goffard was selected as an All-WIAC performer.

Kujak, a junior middle blocker from Fountain City, led UW-Oshkosh this past season with her 517 kills, 136 blocks and .430 hitting percentage. She had double-digit kills in 31 of the Titans' 36 matches, including 21 against Central College and UW-Stout for season bests. Kujak, who received All-WIAC status earlier this month, ranks ninth in UW-Oshkosh history with 1,033 career kills

Southward, who shared WIAC Player of the Year honors with UW-Whitewater's Allison Erickson, totaled 1,465 assists, 506 digs and 106 service aces this past season to lead UW-Oshkosh in all three categories. She also contributed 309 kills, 99 blocks, 15 triple-doubles (kills, assists and digs) and a .425 hitting percentage while being named NCAA Division III Player of the Week once and WIAC Player of the Week twice.

Southward's career totals are also impressive, owning UW-Oshkosh records with her 6,122 assists, 1,634 digs, 1,081 kills, 321 service aces, 319 blocks and a .436 hitting percentage. In the WIAC, the four-time all-league selection ranks first in career assists and career hitting percentage and third in career service aces. Nationally, the St. Anthony, Minn., native ranks third in the NCAA Division III in career hitting percentage and fourth in career assists.

UW-Oshkosh compiled a 32-5 record, shared the WIAC title and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division III Championship this past season.

Petersen Selected As Midwest Region's Top Freshman

Amber Petersen, a freshman middle blocker from UW-Oshkosh, has been named the 2001 NCAA Division III Midwest Region's Freshman Player of the Year. The award is sponsored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Petersen is the first UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball player to receive the honor. Appearing in 122 of the 123 games played by UW-Oshkosh this past season, Petersen hit .349 with 226 kills. The Fox Point native also totaled 103 assisted blocks, 33 solo blocks, 27 digs and nine assists. Petersen had a career-high 11 kills in UW-Oshkosh's 3-2 loss to Central College on September 29 and a career-best 13 blocks in the Titans' 3-1 win over UW-Stout on November 2. She led UW-Oshkosh to a share of the WIAC championship by compiling a .429 hitting percentage, 11 blocks and 10 kills in the Titans' 3-1 win over UW-Whitewater in the league's regular season finale. UW-Oshkosh registered a 32-5 record during the most recent season and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division III Championship.

Titans Defeated In Third Round Of NCAA Championship

UW-Whitewater showed UW-Oshkosh why its the top-ranked team in the country as the Warhawks swept the sixth-ranked Titans, 3-0, in a third round match of the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship held Saturday (November 10) in Whitewater. The victory puts UW-Whitewater in the quarterfinal round of the 48-team post-season event, where it will meet Washington University on Saturday (Nov. 17) in Whitewater.

UW-Whitewater (33-2) defeated UW-Oshkosh (32-5) for the third time in four matches this season by winning games of 30-16, 30-26 and 30-20. The first game was relatively easy for the Warhawks as they built a 24-10 lead and never looked back. In the second game, UW-Oshkosh pulled to a tie at 21 after trailing 16-9. UW-Whitewater matched UW-Oshkosh's charge by ending the second game with a 6-2 scoring run. The third game belonged to UW-Whitewater down the stretch as the Warhawks pulled away from a tie at 17 with a game-ending 13-3 scoring run.

UW-Whitewater hit .246 against UW-Oshkosh and benefited from 37 kills, seven service aces and four blocks. UW-Oshkosh hit just .048 in the match and was hampered by 32 hitting errors, 10 service errors and seven receiving errors. The Titans had double-digit hitting errors in all three games, while the Warhawks had just nine for the entire match.

Senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard had 12 kills and seven digs for UW-Oshkosh, while junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak had nine kills and three digs and senior setter Christina Southward 32 assists, 13 digs and two service aces. Southward concludes her career with 6,122 assists, the fourth-highest total in NCAA Division III history.

UW-Oshkosh's appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship was its ninth. The Titans are now 16-11 in NCAA Division III post-season play, with previous appearances in 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2000. UW-Oshkosh advanced to the national semifinals in 1991, 1994 and 1996.

Titans Advance In NCAA Championship

UW-Oshkosh upgraded its standing to the third round of the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship following its 3-1 victory over Elmhurst College on Friday (November 9) in Whitewater. The Titans will have another opportunity to move on in the 48-team event when they meet UW-Whitewater (32-2), the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, on Saturday (Nov. 10) at 7 p.m. in Whitewater.

UW-Oshkosh (32-4) won its opening match of the NCAA Division III Championship for the eighth time in nine attempts, defeating Elmhurst College (33-7) in game scores of 30-22, 28-30, 30-19 and 30-28. The Titans entered the contest ranked sixth in the country, while the Blue Jays were ranked 12th. It was the first meeting of the season between the two combatants.

UW-Oshkosh split its first-two games against Elmhurst College by hitting .171 in game one and .128 in game two. The Titans posted victories in the next two games by hitting .432 in game three and .204 in game four. Elmhurst College hit a match-best .143 in game two. In all, UW-Oshkosh hit .226 in the match with nine blocks and eight service aces, while Elmhurst College hit .087 with four blocks and four service aces. The two teams combined for 29 service errors, with UW-Oshkosh having 17.

UW-Oshkosh totaled 62 kills in the match, with senior setter Christina Southward having 17, senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard 15, junior middle blocker 14 and freshman left-side hitter Cassie Uttech 11. Southward, a two-time NCAA Division III All-American, also had 40 assists, 11 digs and three assisted blocks. Goffard also registered 19 digs, three assisted blocks and two service aces to help the Titans to their 62nd win in their last 75 matches.

Titans Receive NCAA Post-Season Bid

The NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship includes UW-Oshkosh for the ninth time following the Titans' selection to the post-season event on Sunday (Nov. 4). The NCAA extended invitations for its 2001 tournament to 48 schools, with 34 receiving automatic bids and 14 others gaining at-large requests. UW-Oshkosh, the WIAC's regular season co-champion, received one of the at-large invitations. UW-Oshkosh (31-4) begins its post-season journey by competing at the Midwest Regional this weekend in Whitewater. Joining UW-Oshkosh and host UW-Whitewater (31-2) in the regional event are Benedictine University (36-6), Elmhurst College (32-6), Lake Forest College (26-9) and Marian College (23-10). UW-Whitewater, which shared the WIAC's regular season title with UW-Oshkosh, and Benedictine University (Independent) are both appearing in the NCAA Division III Championship for the 14th time, while its the 11th for Elmhurst College (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin). It is also the third NCAA post-season visit for both Lake Forest College (Midwest Conference) and Marian College (Lake Michigan Conference). Competition in the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship begins on Thursday (Nov. 8) with 16 first round matches, including Midwest Regional contests at 5 p.m. between Elmhurst College and Marian College and 7:30 p.m. between Benedictine University and Lake Forest College. Following a first round bye, UW-Oshkosh makes its 2001 post-season debut on Friday (Nov. 9) at 5 p.m. by playing the winner of Thursday's match between Elmhurst College and Marian College. UW-Whitewater also received a first-round bye, with the Warhawks playing on Friday at 7:30 p.m. against the victor of Thursday's contest between Benedictine University and Lake Forest College. The championship match of the Midwest Regional, with the winner moving to the national quarterfinals, is scheduled for Saturday (Nov. 10) at 7 p.m. UW-Oshkosh, the fifth-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, enters Friday's contest with a 61-13 record in its last 74 matches. The Titans are 15-10 in NCAA Division III post-season play, with previous appearances in 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2000. UW-Oshkosh advanced to the national semifinals in 1991, 1994 and 1996.

Titans Place Three Players On All-WIAC First Team

Co-Players of the Year Allison Erickson of UW-Whitewater and Christina Southward of UW-Oshkosh headline the 2001 All-WIAC Women's Volleyball First Team.

Erickson helped UW-Whitewater to a share of the WIAC title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Championship. She ranks eighth in the league in hitting percentage (.297) and kills (3.42 per game). Erickson is a four-time All-WIAC first team selection. She also was named to the All-WIAC Defensive Team.

Erickson is joined on the All-WIAC first team by three teammates - Kristy Dettman, Melinda Erickson and Angie Wildish. Dettman leads the league with 13.26 assists per game. Melinda Erickson is a three-time All-WIAC first team honoree and ranks second in the league in kills (4.56 per game). She is hitting .276 on the season with 3.56 digs per game. Wildish leads the league in digs (5.61 per game) and ranks sixth in kills (3.48 per game), while hitting .274. She also earned All-Defensive Team honors.

UW-Oshkosh's Southward helped the Titans (31-4) to an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III Championship and a share of their first conference title since 1995. She leads the league in service aces (0.90 per game), ranks second in hitting (.421) and assists (12.33 per game), and is fourth in digs (4.27 per game). Southward, a senior from St. Anthony, Minn., also earned All-WIAC Defensive honors and is a four-time All-WIAC first team selection.

Joining Southward on the All-WIAC first team are fellow Titans Jessie Goffard and Kristi Kujak. Goffard, a senior from Kimberly, leads the conference in kills (5.26 per game) and ranks third in hitting percentage (.358). She also ranks fifth in service aces (0.59 per game) and adds 0.81 blocks per game. Kujak, a junior from Fountain City, leads the league in hitting percentage (.443), ranks third in kills (4.37 per game) and is fourth in blocks (1.16 per game).

UW-Eau Claire's Rachel Gullerud helped the Blugolds to a 23-9 record this season. She ranks fourth in the WIAC in hitting percentage (.315) and kills (3.99 per game), while adding 3.71 digs per game. Gullerud was also named to the WIAC All-Defensive Team.

UW-La Crosse's Megan Eklund earned All-WIAC first team honors for the fourth time in her career. She hit .279 this season and ranks fourth in the league with 0.64 service aces per game, while dishing out 10.78 assists per game.

UW-River Falls' Krystle Brune led the squad to the WIAC Tournament semifinals. She contributed a team-leading 2.96 kills per game and hit .256 this season.

UW-Platteville's Brooke Kaiser helped the Pioneers to a 24-10 record this season. She is a two-time All-WIAC first team performer and leads the league in blocks (1.25 per game), while ranking fifth in hitting percentage (.312) and ninth in kills (3.40 per game). Kaiser also added 3.14 digs per game this season.

UW-Stout's Kim Roshell earned All-WIAC first team honors for the first time in her career. She helped the Blue Devils to a 24-9 record, their best season since 1994. Roshell ranks fifth in the conference in kills (3.75 per game) and also added 3.34 digs per game this season.

UW-La Crosse's Rachel Ask and UW-Stout's Rachel Eidet were also named to the WIAC's six-member All-Defensive Team.

UW-Whitewater head coach Kris Russell was selected the 2001 WIAC Coach of the Year by her peers, marking the sixth time in her career she has won the honor. Her teams have been to NCAA Division III post-season play 14 times in her 21 seasons and have accumulated eight conference titles during her tenure.

Titans Swept In WIAC Tournament Final

Meeting for the third time this season, UW-Whitewater defeated UW-Oshkosh, 3-0, in the championship match of WIAC Women's Volleyball Tournament held Saturday (Nov. 10) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Whitewater, which shared the WIAC regular season title with UW-Oshkosh, swept the Titans in games of 30-12, 30-20 and 30-19 to win its fifth straight WIAC Tournament championship. The victory gave UW-Whitewater (31-2) an automatic entry to the upcoming NCAA Division III Championship.

UW-Whitewater split its previous two matches with UW-Oshkosh (31-4) this season, winning 3-1 on September 29 and losing 3-1 on October 24. UW-Whitewater and UW-Oshkosh advanced to the championship contest by posting semifinal round victories on Friday (November 9) in Kolf Sports Center over UW-River Falls (3-0) and UW-Stout (3-1), respectively.

UW-Whitewater, the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, hit .372 against UW-Oshkosh with Melinda Erickson totaling 16 kills and twin sister Allison 11. The Warhawks had only nine hitting errors in the match, while recording 55 digs, eight blocks and six service aces. Kristin Dettman added 45 assists and 10 digs and Angie Wildish 17 digs and nine kills to UW-Whitewater's winning performance.

UW-Oshkosh, the fifth-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, hit just .149 against UW-Whitewater. The Titans also had only five blocks and one service ace. Senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard had 14 kills and 10 digs in the one hour, 20 minute match, while senior setter Christina Southward compiled 30 assists and 11 digs and junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak nine kills and two solo blocks.

UW-Oshkosh's setback was its first in 18 matches. The Titans also had their 24-match winning streak at Kolf Sports Center snapped.

In the third-place match, UW-River Falls (20-17) defeated UW-Stout (24-9), 3-1. The Falcons won the contest in scores of 30-22, 26-30, 30-25 and 30-27 to sweep the two-match season series with the Blue Devils. Melissa Tvrdik totaled 15 kills and nine assisted blocks and Karen ZumMallen 15 kills and 22 digs to lead UW-River Falls. UW-Stout was led by Kim Roshell, who registered 15 kills and 18 digs, and Rachel Eidet, who compiled 11 kills and 22 digs.

Titans Move To WIAC Tournament Final

Regular season co-champions UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater square off for the third time this season when they meet in the championship match of the WIAC Tournament on Saturday (Nov. 3) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Oshkosh (31-3) and UW-Whitewater (30-2) advanced to Saturday's championship contest (2:30 p.m.) by posting semifinal wins on Friday (Nov. 2) in Kolf Sports Center over UW-Stout (24-8) and UW-River Falls (19-17), respectively. UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater had wins over each other earlier this season, but this time an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament is on the line. Prior to the title match, UW-River Falls and UW-Stout play for third place at noon.

UW-Whitewater, the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, opened semifinal round action by sweeping UW-River Falls in game scores of 30-15, 30-23 and 30-22. UW-Oshkosh, the fifth-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, followed by defeating UW-Stout in game scores of 30-17, 23-30, 30-20 and 30-23.

UW-Whitewater hit .255 against UW-River Falls, with Melinda Erickson totaling 16 kills, Allison Erickson 13, Angie Wildish 12 and Lindsay Tomasovich 10. Melinda Erickson and Wildish added 22 digs, while Kristin Dettman contributed 48 assists and 15 digs.

UW-River Falls lost to UW-Whitewater for the third time this season after hitting just .052, with marks of .050 in game two and .020 in game three. Krystle Brune led the Falcons with eight kills, while Karen ZumMallen added seven kills and a team-high 15 digs.

UW-Oshkosh extended its winning streak to 18 matches by hitting .299 with 65 kills against UW-Stout. Also of note in the outcome were the Titans' 20 blocks and eight service aces.

After a split of games one and two, UW-Oshkosh took game three against UW-Stout on the serve of sophomore left-side hitter Amanda Delgadillo. Delgadillo served seven straight points for an 8-1 lead and another 11 in a row for a 26-16 advantage.

In addition to Delgadillo, who also had four service aces in the match, UW-Oshkosh also received outstanding play from senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard, junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak, freshman middle blocker Amber Petersen, senior setter Christina Southward and freshman left-side hitter Cassie Utech.

Goffard totaled 20 kills, 10 digs and nine blocks in the match, while Kujak had 15 kills, Petersen 13 blocks and five kills, Southward 52 assists, nine digs and eight kills and Utech nine kills and seven digs. Kim Roshell totaled 11 kills to lead UW-Stout, while teammate Rachel Eidet had 12 digs and eight kills.

Titans Sweep Pointers In WIAC Tournament Opener

Winning its 17th straight match, including its 15th by a three-game sweep, the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team defeated UW-Stevens Point on Tuesday (Oct. 30) in Kolf Sports Center to advance in the WIAC Tournament.

UW-Oshkosh (30-3) outscored UW-Stevens Point (8-19) in games of 30-26, 30-17 and 30-18 to earn the right to host the semifinals and finals this weekend. Semifinal round action begins on Friday (November 3) at 5 p.m. with second-seed UW-Whitewater (29-2) playing third-seed UW-River Falls (19-16). That contest will be followed by a 7:30 p.m. match between the top-seeded Titans and fourth-seed UW-Stout (24-7). Competition concludes on Saturday (November 4) with the third-place match at 12 noon and the championship contest at 2:30 p.m. The winner of the WIAC Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

UW-Oshkosh had a slow start against UW-Stevens Point, hitting just .089 with 12 errors in game one. The Titans improved their play during the remainder of the match, however, hitting .533 with just two errors in game two and .600 with just two errors in game three. UW-Oshkosh ended up hitting .350 for the match, compared to just .096 for UW-Stevens Point. The Titans also benefited in the match from 14 service aces and 13 blocks.

Individually, senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard had 14 kills and five digs for UW-Oshkosh, while senior setter Christina Southward totaled 40 assists, 10 kills, nine digs and four blocks. Junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak also contributed seven kills and six blocks, freshman left-side hitter Cassie Uttech eight kills and eight digs and freshman middle blocker Amber Petersen seven kills and three blocks.

UW-Oshkosh's win over UW-Stevens Point was its third of the season. The victory also extended the Titans' home court winning streak to 23 matches.

Southward Named National Player of the Week

Christina Southward, a senior setter for the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team, has been selected as the AVCA/Sports Imports Division III National Player of the Week (Oct. 22-27). Southward is the second UW-Oshkosh player to receive national player of the week mention this season, with teammate Jessie Goffard gaining the honor for the week of September 16-22. Southward helped UW-Oshkosh, the 11th-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, to five wins last week as the Titans raised their overall record to 29-3. Among the victories was a 3-1 upset of top-ranked and WIAC rival UW-Whitewater on October 24. UW-Oshkosh's other wins were over Ripon College, Augsburg College, Marian College and UW-Stevens Point, all in 3-0 counts. In the four-game victory over UW-Whitewater, the St. Anthony, Minn., native collected 60 assists and 21 digs. The victory snapped a 10-match losing streak to UW-Whitewater and helped the Titans gain a tie for the WIAC championship with the Warhawks. The WIAC title is the first for UW-Oshkosh since 1995. Southward, a two-time NCAA Division III All-American, was named the most valuable player in the UW-Oshkosh Invitational held October 26-27. Southward recorded double-digit totals in kills, assists and digs in three of the four matches played as the Titans won their fifth tournament of the year. Southward's weekly totals included an average of 15.13 assists and 4.94 digs per game. She also contributed 43 kills and a .635 hitting percentage. Southward currently ranks fourth in the NCAA Division III with 5,828 career assists and 23rd with 311 career service aces.

Another Invitational Title For The Titans

Sweeping all four of its opponents in three-game matches, the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team won its own invitational held Friday and Saturday (October 26-27) in Kolf Sports Center. The tournament title was the Titans' fifth of the season.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked 11th in the NCAA Division III with a 29-3 record, extended its winning streak to 16 matches by defeating Ripon College (30-21, 30-21 and 30-13), Augsburg College (30-22, 30-18 and 30-18), Marian College (30-17, 30-26 and 30-21) and UW-Stevens Point (30-20, 30-23 and 30-18). UW-Oshkosh's contest with Marian College was a rematch of last year's first round battle in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

UW-Oshkosh senior setter Christina Southward was named the event's most valuable player, totaling 182 assists, 58 digs, 37 kills, six service aces and a .750 hitting percentage. She was joined on the all-tournament team by UW-Oshkosh teammates Jessie Goffard and Kristi Kujak. Goffard, a senior left-side hitter, compiled 56 kills and 50 digs, while Kujak, a junior middle blocker, totaled 63 kills, 12 blocks and a .630 hitting percentage.

UW-Oshkosh hit .472 or better in all four of matches on its friendly home court, including .532 against Augsburg College and .481 against UW-Stevens Point.

Titans Claim Share Of WIAC Championship

The latest victory in the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team's current 12-match winning streak will be one that the Titans will cherish for some time as they upset UW-Whitewater, 3-1, on Wednesday (Oct. 24) in Kolf Sports Center to claim a share of the WIAC championship. The league title, which will be shared with UW-Whitewater, is the sixth for UW-Oshkosh and the first since 1995. UW-Whitewater (24-2/7-1 WIAC) and UW-Oshkosh (25-3/7-1 WIAC) entered Wednesday's squabble listed among the nation's elite, with the Warhawks ranked first in the NCAA Division III and the Titans 11th. UW-Oshkosh, which had lost its previous 10 matches to UW-Whitewater, forced a tie for the league title by winning the match in game scores of 30-27, 22-30, 30-23 and 30-27. Wednesday's victory also gave UW-Oshkosh the top seed for the upcoming WIAC Tournament, which begins on Tuesday (Oct. 30) for the Titans when they host eighth-seed UW-Stevens Point. Senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard led the Titans with 25 kills, while junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak added 19 and freshman middle blocker Amber Petersen 10. Goffard also contributed 19 digs, Petersen 11 blocks and senior setter Christina Southward 60 assists and 21 digs.

Titans Sweep Blue Devils To Remain In WIAC Title Hunt

The UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team stayed on the heels of first-place UW-Whitewater in the WIAC standings by defeating UW-Stout, 3-0, on Saturday (Oct. 20) in Menomonie. The victory gives UW-Oshkosh a 6-1 WIAC record and sets the stage for Wednesday's (Oct. 24) showdown in Kolf Sports Center against 7-0 UW-Whitewater. UW-Oshkosh (24-3) recorded its 10th three-game sweep in 11 matches by disarming UW-Stout (19-6/5-3 WIAC) in game scores of 32-30, 31-29 and 30-26. The Titans were down 29-27 in the second game before freshman right-side hitter Mary Jo Chart served four straight points to help provide UW-Oshkosh with the win. Junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak spirited UW-Oshkosh to its 11th straight win by hitting .436 for the match with 21 kills. Senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard added 18 kills and 16 digs and senior setter Christina Southward 48 assists, 16 digs and 10 kills. Southward now has 5,686 career assists, the fourth-highest total in NCAA Division III annals. By compiling her 1,000 career kill in the match, Southward is the first person in NCAA Division III history to register at least 5,500 assists and 1,000 kills.

Titans Rally To Capture Falcons

A significant weekend road trip for the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team began favorably as the Titans rallied to defeat UW-River Falls, 3-1, on Friday (Oct. 19) in River Falls. The Titans dropped the first game by a 30-28 score before mounting consecutive wins of 30-23, 30-23 and 33-31. UW-Oshkosh ended the fourth game with three straight points to overcome a 31-30 deficit. UW-Oshkosh (23-3/5-1 WIAC), the 15th-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, hit .295 against UW-River Falls (14-14/5-2 WIAC) and benefited from seven service aces and nine blocks. The Titans, who also defeated the Falcons by a 3-0 score earlier this year, also totaled a season-best 106 digs. Individually, UW-Oshkosh was led by senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard, who totaled 26 digs and 25 kills, and senior setter Christina Southward, who compiled 65 assists, 21 digs and 11 kills. The triple-double was Southward's ninth of the season. Others contributing to the UW-Oshkosh win were freshman left-side hitter Cassie Uttech, who had 12 kills and 12 digs, and sophomore right-side hitter Amanda Delgadillo, who had 15 digs.

Titans Sweep To Another Invitational Title

Hosting its second invitational of the season, the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team duplicated its performance of the first by sweeping past four opponents in games played Friday and Saturday (Oct. 12-13) in Kolf Sports Center.

UW-Oshkosh, the 18th-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, defeated the University of Chicago (30-13, 30-13 and 30-20), North Central College (30-19, 30-13 and 30-27), North Park University (30-25, 30-14 and 30-16) and Benedictine University (30-16, 30-18 and 30-23) to post its fourth invitational title of the season. Last weekend (Oct. 5-6) in Kolf Sports Center, UW-Oshkosh swept all 12 games in defeating Illinois Wesleyan University, Finlandia University, Union College and Concordia University.

Leading UW-Oshkosh (22-3) to its ninth straight win, all in three-game sweeps, were all-tournament selections Jessie Goffard, Amber Petersen and Christina Southward. Goffard, a senior left-side hitter, compiled 59 kills, 36 digs and 10 service aces to gain most valuable player honors. Petersen, a freshman middle blocker, had 29 kills and 14 blocks, while Southward, a senior setter, added 179 assists, 32 digs, 13 digs and 12 blocks. Southward now has 5,539 career assists, a UW-Oshkosh record and the sixth-highest total in NCAA Division III history.

Other major contributors for the Titans were junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak, who totaled 59 kills and 11 blocks, and freshman setter Katie LaBlanc, who had 24 digs and 11 service aces.

In all, UW-Oshkosh hit .384 or better in four matches, including .547 against North Central College and .535 against North Park University.

Titans Remain In Thick Of WIAC Title Race

Obliterating UW-Platteville in three straight games, the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team remained in the WIAC title hunt with its victory over the Pioneers on Wednesday (Oct. 10) in Kolf Sports Center. UW-Oshkosh (18-3/4-1 WIAC) defeated UW-Platteville (15-7 & 0-5 in the WIAC) in game scores of 30-18, 30-18 and 30-16 to pull within one victory of first-place UW-Whitewater (17-1/5-0 WIAC) in the league standings. UW-Oshkosh, ranked 18th in the NCAA Division III, made quick work of UW-Platteville, ranked 26th nationally. The Titans won the one-hour, 21-minute match by jumping out to leads of 21-12 in game one, 21-11 in game two and 28-10 in game three. UW-Oshkosh hit .328 for the match with 51 kills and 10 service aces, while UW-Platteville hit just .071 with 10 receiving errors. Senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard had 19 kills, 13 digs and four service aces to lead the Titans. Junior middle blocker added nine kills and two solo blocks, while senior setter Christina Southward contributed 39 assists, 15 digs, six kills and four service aces and freshman left-side hitter Cassie Uttech six kills, six digs and two solo blocks.

Titans Sweep Past Invitational Foes

Winning all 12 games it played, the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team went undefeated in four matches to win its own invitational held Friday and Saturday (Oct. 5-6) in Kolf Sports Center. The invitational crown was the Titans' third of the season, with previous titles at events hosted by Benedictine University and St. Mary's University.

UW-Oshkosh (17-3), ranked 19th in the NCAA Division III, began play on Friday by defeating Illinois Wesleyan University (10-9) in game scores of 30-25, 30-22 and 30-24 and Finlandia University (0-14) in game scores of 30-16, 30-15 and 30-14. The Titans continued their winning ways on Saturday by defeating Union College (6-11) in game scores of 30-19, 30-15 and 30-17 and Concordia University (9-12) in game scores of 30-19, 30-23 and 30-10. UW-Oshkosh hit .315 or better in all four matches, including .464 against Union College.

En route to winning its own tournament, UW-Oshkosh was led by senior setter Christina Southward and senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard, both all-tournament selections. Southward had 130 assists, 46 digs, 12 blocks and 11 service aces to gain most valuable player honors, while Goffard had 45 kills, 27 digs and eight service aces. Junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak added 38 kills and 16 blocks. Southward, a two-time NCAA Division III All-American, now has 5,355 career assists, 95 shy of a new UW-Oshkosh record. Her career assist total currently ranks eighth in NCAA Division III history.

Titans Split Four Matches At UW-Whitewater Invite

The UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team gained a split decision in matches played at the UW-Whitewater Invitational on Friday and Saturday (Sept. 28-29) in Whitewater.

The Titans defeated UW-River Falls and Simpson College by identical 3-0 counts on Friday before losing to three-time defending NCAA Division III champion Central College and defending WIAC champion UW-Whitewater by 3-2 and 3-1 scores on Saturday, respectively.

In Friday's matches the Titans (13-3) were able to sweep WIAC foe UW-River Falls and Simpson College. The victory over UW-River Falls (9-9) was the first for the Titans since 1997, while the win over Simpson College (5-7) was the seventh straight for UW-Oshkosh in the series with the Storm. UW-Oshkosh defeated UW-River Falls in game scores of 30-23, 30-16 and 30-22 and Simpson College in game totals of 30-28, 30-23 and 30-19.

On Saturday, UW-Oshkosh faced a pair of top-five nationally-ranked teams in Central College and UW-Whitewater. Against Central College (11-3), UW-Oshkosh won games one (30-27) and four (32-30) while the Flying Dutch won games two (32-30), three (30-26) and five (15-9). UW-Oshkosh was limited to a .196 hitting percentage against UW-Whitewater and was hindered by its nine receiving errors and eight service errors. UW-Whitewater won the first two games of the match by 30-23 and 30-24 scores, before UW-Oshkosh won game three by a 30-24 rating. The Warhawks (13-1) closed out the match with a 30-20 victory in game four.

UW-Oshkosh senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard recorded 71 kills and 67 digs in the four matches, while senior middle blocker Kristi Kujak added 59 kills and senior setter Christina Southward 201 assists and 61 digs. Southward, a two-time NCAA Division III All-American, now has 5,225 career assists to pull within 235 of establishing a new school record.

Eagles Upset Nationally-Ranked Titans

Unbeaten and ranked 14th in the NCAA Division III, the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team found out how tough WIAC road matches can be as the Titans fell 3-1 to UW-La Crosse on Wednesday (Sept. 26) in La Crosse. The host Eagles (9-7/1-1 WIAC) won the match in game scores of 31-29, 19-30, 31-29 and 30-24 to hand the Titans their first loss in 12 contests (four in WIAC play). Holding a 29-26 lead in game one, UW-Oshkosh was unable to close out UW-La Crosse as the Eagles rallied with five straight points to gain the win. Following a victory in game two, UW-Oshkosh saw a 29-28 lead evaporate in game three as UW-La Crosse scored three straight points for the win. Poor passing was the key for UW-Oshkosh in game four as the Titans fell behind by early deficits of 7-2 and 15-8. Senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard had 20 kills, 17 digs and four blocks to lead the Titans, while senior setter Christina Southward had 46 assists, 18 digs and six blocks. Sophomore left-side hitter Amanda Delgadillo added 20 digs and six service aces. UW-Oshkosh hit just .188 for the match with 28 hitting errors. The Titans also had 10 receiving errors and nine service errors.

Goffard Named National Player of the Week

Jessie Goffard, a senior left-side hitter from UW-Oshkosh, has been selected as the AVCA/Sports Imports Division III National Player of the Week (Sept. 16-22). The Kimberly native helped unbeaten (11-0) and 17th-ranked UW-Oshkosh to conference wins over UW-Stevens Point, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Superior in a five-day period. Sitting out the Titans' first-eight games due to an injury, the first-year transfer from the University of New Mexico made her UW-Oshkosh debut against UW-Stevens Point on September 18. Leading UW-Oshkosh to a 3-0 victory, Goffard totaled 20 kills, 13 digs and three blocks. In UW-Oshkosh's 3-1 win over UW-Eau Claire on September 21, the first for the Titans over the Blugolds in six matches, Goffard broke a school record and tied a conference mark with 32 kills. She also had 20 digs and hit .509 for the match. Helping UW-Oshkosh to a 3-0 win over UW-Superior on September 22, Goffard compiled 14 kills and 12 digs. Goffard's three-match totals for the week were 66 kills, 45 digs, eight blocks and a .416 hitting percentage.

Titans Swat Yellowjackets

The UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team worked quickly in defeating UW-Superior, 3-0, on Saturday (Se. 23) in Kolf Sports Center. The Titans won the one-hour, 18-minute match in game scores of 30-14, 30-19 and 30-23 to remain atop the WIAC standings with a 3-0 record (11-0 overall). UW-Oshkosh never trailed in the match, although tied 5-5 and 6-6 in game one and 1-1 in game two. The Titans' dominance over the Yellowjackets (4-7 and 0-2 in the WIAC) was also displayed in the statistical totals, where they held advantages of .468-130 in hitting percentage, 55-27 in kills, 62-27 in digs, 15-4 in service aces and 10-4 in blocks. Up 10-7 in game one, UW-Oshkosh freshman right-side hitter Mary Jo Chart served seven straight points to give the Titans a 17-7 advantage. In game two, UW-Oshkosh bolted to a 16-3 lead following eight straight serves by freshman setter Katie LaBlanc. Clinging to a 20-19 lead in game three, UW-Oshkosh, the 17th-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, scored 10 of the next 14 points to post the seven-point winning margin. Junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak hit .652 for the Titans with 16 kills, while freshmen middle blocker Amber Petersen hit .583 with seven kills and senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard .320 with 14 kills. Senior setter Christina Southward added 45 assists, 18 digs and four service aces, while LaBlanc contributed five service aces.

Titans Defeat Blugolds To Remain Unbeaten

The UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team rode the effort of senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard en route to a 3-1 victory over UW-Eau Claire on Friday night (Sep. 21) in Kolf Sports Center. UW-Oshkosh snapped its five-match losing streak to UW-Eau Claire by winning the contest in game scores of 30-20, 30-27, 28-30 and 30-25. Goffard, totaled 32 of the Titans' 67 kills against the Blugolds and 20 of the Titans' 75 digs. In UW-Oshkosh's five-point win in game four, Goffard registered 12 kills to deny any UW-Eau Claire comeback. Supporting Goffard's performance were junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak who totaled 18 kills, senior setter Christina Southward who compiled 55 assists and sophomore left-side hitter Amanda Delgadillo who recorded 18 digs and four service aces. UW-Oshkosh hit .324 for the match, compared to .206 for UW-Eau Claire. The Blugolds were hampered in the match by 14 service aces and 11 receiving errors. UW-Oshkosh (10-0/2-0 WIAC), ranked 17th in the NCAA Division III, led the first and fourth games from nearly start to finish. In game two, UW-Oshkosh rallied from a 25-24 deficit by counting six of the final eight points scored. In game three, UW-Eau Claire (11-3/0-1 WIAC) overcame a 27-25 disadvantage by totaling five of the final six points scored.

Titans Sweep Pointers In WIAC Opener

Led by senior left-side hitter Jessie Goffard's 20 kills and 13 digs, the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team opened its WIAC slate with a 3-0 sweep of UW-Stevens Point on Wednesday (Sept. 18) in Stevens Point. The Titans remain undefeated in nine matches by winning games over the Pointers (2-4/0-1 WIAC) in counts of 30-19, 30-25 and 30-12. Playing her first match of the season after being sidelined with an injury, Goffard registered seven kills and six digs in the opening game as the Titans raced to a 20-8 lead after breaking a 6-6 deadlock. In game two, UW-Oshkosh pulled away from a 25-23 advantage by scoring five of the game's final seven points. Goffard had eight kills in the second game as the Titans totaled 19. UW-Oshkosh put all of its components together in game three, jumping out to an 18-3 lead and never looking back. The Titans held the Pointers to a -.100 hitting percentage in game two. In addition to Goffard's performance, junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak also had a .545 hitting percentage, including 14 kills. Senior setter Christina Southward finished one shy of a triple-double, amassing 45 assists, 12 digs and nine kills. Southward also had seven service aces in the match to become UW-Oshkosh's all-time leader (260), surpassing Amy Ward (1993-96).

Titans Raise Money For Humane Society

The UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team has 104 services aces thus far this season, which is not only good for the Titans' fortunes, but also for area animals.

This is the inaugural year of the Titans' Aces for Animals fund-raiser, which is intended to benefit the Oshkosh Area Humane Society. Donors pledge money for every UW-Oshkosh ace, and at the end of the season players and coaches will collect their totals and donate them to the Humane Society.

"Everybody always takes care of the people, and forgets about the animals," said UW-Oshkosh head coach Marty Petersen. "They really are the defenseless ones out there. People dump animals for whatever reason, they're moving, change of lifestyle, whatever."

Petersen said the goal is to help raise money to contribute to the $3-3.5 million needed to convert the Humane Society's new building into a viable facility.

"We want to create a facility the community can be proud of, but the community's going to have to be involved with more than just lip service," said Petersen. "We don't want a storage facility, we want a place people can be educated, a place where dogs can be educated in obedience, become more adoptable and sociable."

The idea for Aces for Animals came from Titans assistant coach Brian Schaefer, Petersen said. While the team's goal for this season is in the $6-7,000 range, with more organization and planning the idea for the promotion was hatched just last month Petersen said the team could bring in much more in future years.

Titans Win Sugar Loaf Classic

Behind the play of most valuable player Kristi Kujak and all-tournament selection Christina Southward, the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team won the Sugar Loaf Classic held Friday and Saturday (Sept. 7-8) at St.Mary's University in Winona, Minn. The Titans went unbeaten in four matches to claim their second invitational title in as many weekends.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked 15th in the NCAA Division III, improved its record to 8-0 defeating the College of St. Catherine and Concordia University on Friday and Lakeland College and St. Mary's University on Saturday. The Titans won all of their matches in three games except their contest with Concordia University which went to a fourth game, a 30-18, 26-30, 30-14 and 30-15 decision.

Kujak, a junior middle blocker, hit .383 for the tournament with 64 kills and 17 blocks, while Southward, a senior setter, totaled 91 assists, 54 digs and 17 service aces. Southward, a two-time NCAA Division III All-American, has recorded a triple-double (kills, assists and digs) in each of UW-Oshkosh's eight matches this season. Sophomore right-side hitter Amanda Delgadillo contributed 49 digs to the Titans' perfect performance, while freshman middle blocker Amber Petersen added 20 blocks.

Titans Win Benedictine University Invite

Led by three all-tournament selections, the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team went unbeaten in four matches to win the Benedictine University Invitational held Friday and Saturday (Aug. 31-Sept. 1) in Lisle, Ill.

The 15th-ranked Titans opened the event and their 2001 season by defeating Adrian College, 3-1, and the University of Chicago, 3-0, on Friday and Carroll College, 3-0, and Benedictine University, 3-1, on Saturday. Utilizing the recently-adopted rally scoring format, UW-Oshkosh posted winning counts of 30-20, 28-30, 30-19 and 30-12 over Adrian College, 30-17, 30-18 and 30-10 over the University of Chicago, 30-15, 30-23 and 30-21 over Carroll College and 30-25, 30-26, 29-31 and 30-17 over Benedictine University. Both UW-Oshkosh and Benedictine University came into their contest, the final match of the tournament, unbeaten at 3-0.

Named to the seven-player all-tournament team from UW-Oshkosh were senior setter Christina Southward, junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak and freshman setter Katie LaBlanc. Southward, a two-time NCAA Division III All-American, was named the event's outstanding performer after hitting .537 with 85 assists, 71 kills, 69 digs and 21 service aces. Kujak hit .494 in the four matches with 54 kills and 13 blocks, while LaBlanc had 114 assists, 32 digs and 10 service aces. In all, UW-Oshkosh hit .409 as a team with 231 kills, 224 digs and 215 assists.

Other individual highlights saw Southward record a career-best 24 kills against Benedictine University, Kujak hit .917 (11 kills in 12 attempts) against the University of Chicago and sophomore right-side hitter Amanda Delgadillo record a career-best seven service aces against Adrian College. Team highlights featured UW-Oshkosh hitting .526 and compiling 22 service aces against the University of Chicago, marks that rank second in school annals.

2001 Preview

After receiving an invitation to the NCAA Division III Championship for the sixth time in eight years last season, the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team looks to dance again in post-season play in 2001. UW-Oshkosh pranced to a 30-9 record (5-3 in the WIAC) last year, with three-game sweeps of Marian College and St. Olaf College in the opening rounds of the NCAA Division III Championship. The Titans saw their ninth 30-plus win season in the past 13 years end with a tight four-game loss to eventual national champion Central College in the round of 16. In order to party again in the NCAA Division III post-season gala, 19th-year head coach Marty Petersen (537-333 coaching record) will have to rely on five returning letter winners, a talented transfer and a gathering of first-year performers. Returning to the Titans' dance card are sophomore right-side hitter Amanda Delgadillo, junior left-side hitter Tara Dorski, junior middle blocker Kristi Kujak, sophomore defensive specialist Jackie Regester and senior setter Christina Southward. Southward returns to quarterback the offense after gaining NCAA Division III All-America accolades the past two seasons. Last year, she received All-America first team mention after leading the country in hitting percentage for the second consecutive season while ranking third in assists per game. Southward hit .472 for the Titans last fall with 1,846 assists, 442 digs, 95 blocks and 74 service aces in 134 games played. In 1999, Southward obtained All-America second team honors after hitting .464 with 1,478 assists, 406 digs, 77 blocks and 63 service aces in 123 games played. With another strong campaign in 2001 the three-time All-WIAC first team selection will join the NCAA Division III's top-five list in the career categories of assists and hitting percentage. UW-Oshkosh also relishes the return of Delgadillo, Dorski, Kujak and Regester. Regester appeared in 134 games last year, compiling 295 digs, 53 assists and 29 service aces. Playing in 133 games last season, Kujak totaled 473 kills, 102 blocks and a .342 hitting percentage. Dorski contributed 170 kills and 151 digs in 86 games last season, while Delgadillo added 96 kills, 232 digs and 41 service aces in 95 appearances. A new partner in UW-Oshkosh's attack this fall is senior right-side hitter Jessie Goffard, who looks to fill the void left by graduated middle blocker Jane Copenhaver, an All-America first team honoree in 2000. Goffard transfers to UW-Oshkosh from NCAA Division I University of New Mexico, where she appeared in 261 games for the Lobos the past three seasons. Last year, Goffard totaled 266 digs and 344 kills in 91 games played to rank third and fourth in the Mountain West Conference, respectively. In 1999, the Kimberly native registered 254 kills and 191 digs in 109 games played. Freshmen looking to contribute this season are left-side hitter Mary Jo Chart from Waterford, left-side hitter Jessica Funk from Jefferson, setter Katie LaBlanc from Milwaukee Pius XI, middle blocker Megan O'Mahar from Oak Creek, middle blocker Amber Petersen from Nicolet, defensive specialist Jessica Poisl from Westosha Central, defensive specialist Angie Schauer from Slinger and left-side hitter Cassie Uttech from Watertown high schools. Last fall, UW-Oshkosh averaged 16.74 kills and 15.78 assists per game to lead the NCAA Division III. The Titans also hit .288 as a group to rank eighth in the country. UW-Oshkosh's 2001 schedule is dotted with five teams that waltzed in last year's NCAA Division III Championship. They are defending national champion Central College, Marian College, St. Mary's University, UW-River Falls and UW-Whitewater.