CHICAGO, Ill. – The UW-River Falls volleyball team opened its 2023 season on Friday afternoon at the North Park Invitational with a split falling to North Park in the first match but coming back for a 3-0 win over Pacific University in the second match.
North Park 3, UW-River Falls 2
The Falcons opened the season with a five-set loss to host North Park University, who is receiving votes in the current preseason poll.
Freshman right side hitter
Emily Brenner made her collegiate entrance with a team high 11 kills while hitting .152. She added 11 digs and five block assists to her performance.
Kameri Meredith led the defense with 23 digs and five blocks. She was second on the team in kills with nine.
The Knights owned the first half of the match taking the first two sets 25-18 before the Falcons took control of the third set winning 25-16. They carried the momentum into the fourth set where they won a close one 25-23. In the fifth set, North Park was just too much for the Falcons as they fell 15-7.
UWRF hit .070 in the match.
UW-River Falls 3, Pacific 0
UWRF compiled a .323 hitting percentage while limiting Pacific to a .000 attack rate en route to its first win of the season.
The Falcons took the first two sets easily winning 25-11 and 25-8. They hit an impressive .444 in the second set. In the third set, Pacific hung with the Falcons only falling 21-25.
UWRF collected 43 kills in the match and was led offensively by
Lauren Noth with eight kills.
Sami Hilley and
Kameri Meredith each had seven kills.
Brenna Olson led the defense with 19 digs.
Grace Boles has 27 assists and seven digs.
Tomorrow, UWRF will face Westminster at 3 p.m.
