UW-Oshkosh Stumbles in Las Vegas (3-21-16)
The UW-Oshkosh men’s volleyball team advanced to the quarterfinals of the 32-team Las Vegas Open before stumbling to the University of Arizona on Friday and Saturday (March 18-19) in Nevada. The Titans were the defending champions.
UW-Oshkosh, ranked #3 in the latest National Collegiate Volleyball Federation Division I poll, dominated pool play by sweeping all three of their opponents. UW-Oshkosh destroyed Stanford University 25-13, 25-14 in the opening match of the tournament.
The Titans were led by Tyler Range (Sr. – Kenosha) with eight kills on nine attempts and four blocks, including one solo stuff. Allen Grunert (Jr. – Muskego) and Eaven Mason (Fr. – Milwaukee) each had five kills and Grunert led the team with four service aces. Travis Hudson (Sr. – Wauwatosa) dished out 22 assists and had two service aces and two blocks.
UW-Oshkosh had little trouble against a scrappy Salt Lake Community College team in a 25-17, 25-14 victory. Eight players recorded at least one kill led by Grunert and Alec Redlich (Sr. – Wauwatosa) with four kills each. Redlich added four service aces, Wesley Morioka (Sr. – Chicago) had three service aces and Range had four blocks. Grunert provided three blocks and Hudson tallied 14 assists and a team leading four digs.
In a battle for first place in the pool, UW-Oshkosh survived a close first set and rolled in the second for a 25-23, 25-15 victory over Chapman College. Morioka led the charge at the net with six kills and added two service aces and two blocks. Michael Wamboldt (Jr. – Kenosha) paced the Titans with six digs and Sam Moua (Jr. – Appleton) added five saves. Hudson had 13 assists, four digs and four blocks, Range finished the match with three blocks and Mason also chipped in three blocks.
In the opening round of playoffs on Saturday, UW-Oshkosh got by the University of Arizona II 25-18, 25-21 to advance to the quarterfinals. Redlich led the team with seven kills and six digs and Range put together five kills and four blocks. Hudson dished out the rock to the tune of 21 assists and added three blocks.
After splitting the first two sets, UW-Oshkosh surrendered to the University of Arizona, 23-25, 25-21, 15-13. The Titans enjoyed leads of 8-4 and 13-10 but could not put the match away. Range and Redlich each led the team with 10 kills and Hudson had 29 assists, five digs and two blocks. The Wildcats entered the match as the 19th ranked team in the country.
“We played 98 percent of a match this afternoon against the University of Arizona,” said head coach Brian Schaefer. “You have to give them credit for winning the match, but this loss is on us. We need to be more clutch with our serve receive and hitting. No lead is safe and gaining points on our serve is crucial as we head to the end of the season.”
“But we will put this loss behind us and learn from it,” added Schaefer. “We will have some fun out here in the sun like no other team does and build chemistry with team building opportunities.”
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