Oshkosh Outlasts Marquette in Milwaukee (3-9-17)
The UW-Oshkosh men’s volleyball team took the upper hand in the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference regular season conference standings with a tough 25-17, 29-27, 18-25, 18-25, 15-10 victory over Marquette University on Thursday (March 9) in Milwaukee.
UW-Oshkosh (17-1 / 5-1 WVC), who suffered its first home conference loss in over six years in five sets earlier this season to Marquette University improved to 3-1 in four meetings with the Golden Eagles this season. Currently the Titans are ranked #1 and the Golden Eagles are #3 in the latest National Collegiate Volleyball Federation Division I poll.
“It was two heavyweights that are very familiar with each other going after it,” said head coach Brian Schaefer. “Both programs have fantastic players and have a strong mutual respect for one another. It was another classic battle in a great environment.”
UW-Oshkosh, which is seeking its ninth consecutive WVC Division I regular season title, takes a one match lead in the loss column over UW-Whitewater (6-2) and Marquette University (5-2). The Titans have yet to play the Warhawks this season.
The Titans started slow in the first set falling behind 7-2 before fighting back to tie the score at 15-15. UW-Oshkosh ended the stanza on a 10-2 run to take the early lead in the match despite having only eight kills. In similar fashion, UW-Oshkosh started set two down 5-0, 7-2 and 14-7 before rallying. Marquette University served to tie the match at one set each at 24-22 before UW-Oshkosh sided out and were helped by a hitting error. The two teams went back and forth before the Titans pulled out the win in extra points.
Marquette University dominated set two as the Titans committed seven hitting errors and had three service aces. In the early stages of set four, starting left side hitter Wesley Morioka (Sr. – Chicago, Ill.) went down with an ankle injury and the Titans could not recover setting up the second consecutive match against the Golden Eagles that went the distance.
In set five the Titans quickly went down 3-0 before tying the score at 4-4. UW-Oshkosh reached the side switch first at 8-6 and took a 12-8 lead behind a kill by Tony D’Aquisto (So. – Franklin) and a hitting error by Marquette University. From there the Titans got a block and ended the match with a kill.
“We still have a lot to work on offensively and with our blocking,” added Schaefer. “We need more consistency and the mindset to smartly challenge the block when we are out of system. It will come if we continue to work hard in practice. A huge positive during the match was that we played with emotion.”
Brandon Schmidt (Gr. – Kaukauna) led UW-Oshkosh with 13 kills and added five blocks. Jake Martin (So. – New Lenox, Ill.) scooped up 12 digs, Peter Nordel (Sr. – Torrence, Calif.) tallied 10 blocks and Travis Hudson (Sr. – Wauwatosa) compiled 39 assists, six digs and six blocks. Morioka finished with nine kills on a .615 hitting percentage, six digs and two service aces and D’Acquisto hit .417 on seven kills and added three blocks. Sammy Pedersen (Sr. – Muskego) amassed six kills and two blocks and Michael Wamboldt (Sr. – Pleasant Prairie) had six digs.
“It was unfortunate that Wes and one of their best players (Dani Rivera) got hurt during the fourth set. The final set was still intense but it would have been insane if both teams would have been at full strength,” stated Schaefer.
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