Scheele Earns Honorable Mention to AVCA All-America Team

Nov. 19, 2008

Outside hitter Kelsey Scheele (Jr., Norwood, Minn. Mayer Lutheran HS) has earned honorable mention to the 2008 American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America team.

Earlier this year Scheele was named to the AVCA All-Midwest Region and All-WIAC teams.

She led the Falcons in several statistical categories this year. She led in kills (456), services aces (44) and digs (528). She had four solo and 45 block assists.

Scheele hit the career 1,000 kill milestone in a match against St. Ambrose on Oct. 31. She now has 1,064 career kills in her three-year career. She finished with 13 kills against St. Ambrose. She was named to five All-Tournament teams throughout the season.

In 2007, she was named to the All-WIAC team. She also received the Most Valuable Player Award and Offensive Player of the Year Award for the 2007 season.

In 2007, she had 445 kills. And, as a freshman in 2006, Scheele had 163 kills.

Scheele, DeRosa, Speckel Named
to All-WIAC Teams

Nov. 11, 2008

Falcon volleyball players Kelsey Scheele (Jr., Norwood, Minn. Mayer Lutheran HS), Gina DeRosa (Jr., Maplewood, Minn. North St. Paul HS) and Justine Speckel (Sr., Buffalo, Minn.) have all been named to 2008 All-WIAC teams.

Scheele, an outside hitter, was named to the first team, DeRosa, a middle hitter, earned honorable mention and Speckel, a middle blocker, was named to the All-Sportsmanship team.

Scheele, 5-7, was named to the first All-WIAC team in 2007. She led the Falcons in several statistical categories this year. She led in kills (456), services aces (44) and digs (528). She had four solo and 45 block assists.

"Kelsey is clearly one of the top players in the WIAC and region," said Falcon Coach Patti Ford. "She is one of the most complete players I have ever coached. There isn’t a phase of her game that is weak. She has led this team not only statistically, but with extreme poise and determination."

DeRosa, 6-0, is a dominating player at the net. She led the Falcons for the third straight year in blocks with 31 solo and 104 assists. She was second on the team with 290 kills.

"Gina has emerged into one of the top middles in the WIAC," said Ford. Her blocking and net play have helped the Falcons play a more competitive style of volleyball throughout the season. She is an excellent blocker and provides  our defense with a big advantage."

Speckel, 5-10, had six kills and two block assists in her final season with the Falcons.

"Justine embodies the true essence of a team player. Her leadership and contributions to Falcon volleyball will have lasting affects for our program," said Ford.

2008 Falcon Statistics

2008 Schedule

Falcons Lose at UWL in WIAC Quarterfinals

Nov. 4, 2008

In a first round match of the WIAC Tournament, the Falcon volleyball team lost to the UW-La Crosse Eagles three-sets-to-none on Tuesday night in La Crosse.

Each of the sets were very close; 26-24, 25-17, 25-17.

The Falcons leading hitter, Kelsey Scheele, led the Falcons in kills with nine.Finishing with seven kills was Andria Vetsch. Scheele and libero Mandy McKenzie led UWRF in digs with 16 and 12 respectively.

Both Alicia Cook and Deidre Held saw time in the setting position. Held finished with seven assists, and Cook ended with 22. Scheele served up four aces. Middle hitter Liz Braun had two, and Cook had one.

On the defensive side of the ball, UWRF also seemed timid. There were no blocking assists, and a single solo block provided by Braun.

The Falcons finish their season with a 15-22 overall record.

Game Box
2008 Schedule

Scheele Reaches 1,000 Career Kill Mark

Nov. 3, 2008

Outside hitter Kelsey Scheele (Jr., Norwood, Minn. Mayer Lutheran HS) reached the 1,000-career kills milestone while the Falcons were competing in the UW-Whitewater Invitational on Friday.

Scheele hit the milestone in the team’s first match against St. Ambrose. She now has 1,054 career kills in her three-year career. She finished with 13 kills against St. Ambrose. In four matches in Whitewater she had 58 kills, two assists, six aces, 83 digs and seven block assists. She led the Falcons in kills in every match and twice led the team in digs. She had 20 kills in a win over Concordia and 31 digs in a win over Elmhurst. This year Scheele leads the Falcons with 447 kills, 40 aces and 512 digs. She has been named to five All-Tournament teams.

Scheele, a junior from Norwood, Minn., has already had a great career at UWRF. In 2007, she was named to the All-WIAC Team. She also received the Most Valuable Player Award and Offensive Player of the Year Award for the 2007 season.

In 2007, she had 445 kills. And, as a freshman in 2006, Scheele had 162 kills. That brings her career-to-date total to 1054 kills. Scheele is nearing the Top 10 in UWRF history with every set.

Falcon Head Coach Patti Ford says she’s happy for Scheele. “Getting 1,000 career kills is something to be incredibly proud of.”

Falcons Fair Okay at Whitewater Invitational, Finishing 2-2

Nov. 2, 2008

The Falcons spent the weekend in Whitewater, competing in the Whitewater Invitational. They played St. Ambrose and Elmhurst on Friday and Carthage and Concordia on Saturday.

UWRF beat Elmhurst in five matches and lost to St. Ambrose in four. Later, the Falcons lost to Carthage in three matches and beat Concordia in an exhausting five matches.

River Falls split during their stay at the tournament, finishing 2-2. The Falcons are now 15-21 in overall play.

St. Ambrose 3, RF 1
In their first game of the weekend, the Falcons fell to St. Ambrose in four hard-fought, close matches: 25-23, 25-23, 25-22, 30-28.

Outside hitter Kelsey Scheele led all Falcon hitters with 13 kills. Freshman outside hitter Kara Buffington added ten kills, and right-side hitter Andria Vetsch and middle hitter Gina DeRosa each contributed ten. Setters Deidre Held and Becky Ponick had 25 and 15 assists respectively.

The Falcons served up a total of seven aces; Scheele had two, and a slew of others added single aces. Leading diggers were Scheele and libero Mandy McKenzie with 16 a piece. Senior outside hitter Nina Cooper added ten of her own.

DeRosa had three solo blocks and four block assists. Vetsch also had a single solo block and added two block assists. Scheele and middle hitter Liz Braun added three and two block assists respectively. In total, the Falcons had four solo blocks and 12 block assists.

RF 3, Elmhurst 2
Last weekend, the Falcons fell to Elmhurst at the Elmhurst Invite in four matches. This weekend, however, the Falcons took Elmhurst in five: 25-23, 25-21, 29-27, 25-18, 15-10.

Scheele led Falcons hitters once again with 16 kills. Vetsch added 11, and Cooper and DeRosa each had nine. Held led in assists with 34, and Ponick chipped in 18.

The Falcons continued their strong serving game with four aces. Held had three of the four, and Scheele served the other. Leading defenders was Scheele with an astonishing 31 digs and McKenzie who had 18.

A strong front at the net was present once again for UWRF. DeRosa, Braun, and right-side hitter Ashley Wheeler each had a single solo block. Braun also had three block assists. Vetsch and DeRosa each had two.

Carthage 3, RF 0
The match versus Carthage proved to be a sort of quiet offense game for the Falcons. Leading hitters were Scheele and DeRosa with nine and seven respectively. Held added 22 assists.

Regardless of the loss, UWRF continued to serve heavy with seven aces. Held and McKenzie each had two, and three others contributed one a piece. McKenzie also led in digs with 20. Scheele and Held added 17 and 11 digs respectcively.

Vetsch had the only solo block of the game. DeRosa had three block assists, and Scheele, Vetsch, and Braun each had two.

The final scores of the sets were: 25-16, 25-13, 25-23.

RF 3, Concordia 2
UWRF managed to find their fire again when they faced Concordia in their final match at the Whitewater Invite. The sets were all extremely tight, the winners never winning by more than five points. After being down three-sets-to-one, the Falcons game back to win three-sets-to-two. The scores of the sets were: 25-22, 25-20, 25-20, 25-21, 18-16.

Leading hitters for the Falcons were Scheele, DeRosa, and Vetsch with 20, ten, and nine kills respectively. Held led in assists with 27, but Ponick got her hands on the ball just as often, adding 22 of her own assists.

Servers for the Falcons didn't disappoint; they were able to keep the strong streak alive with nine aces. Scheele, Braun, Held, and Ponick all had two aces a piece. McKenzie also had one ace.

Leading in digs was McKenzie with 27. Scheele and Ponick added 17 and 13 respectively. Vetsch contributed one solo block and three block assists. Braun also had four block assists.

Totals for the weekend included a total of 188 kills. Fifty-eight of those kills came from Scheele. Scheele also contributed 83 digs to the team's weekend total of 296 digs. McKenzie also had 81 of those total digs. The team also had 51 blocks, 27 aces, and 185 assists.

The Falcons start WIAC Tournament play next weeken when they head to LaCrosse. On Tuesday, UWRF will play the Eagles at 7 p.m. in the WIAC Quarterfinals.


2008 Schedule

At Elmhurst Invite, Falcons Finish 1-3

Oct. 26, 2008

The Falcons headed to Elmurst, Illinois this weekend to compete in the Elmhurst Invitational. Playing a total of four matches, UWRF left the Invite 1-3.

On Friday, the Falcons fell to Wheaton and North Central. On Saturday, River Falls beat Chicago and lost to Elmhurst.

Wheaton 3, RF 1
In their first game of the weekend, the Falcons fell to Wheaton three-matches-to-one. UWRF lost the first match 25-17, but managed to get a momentum swing in the second, winning 25-16. UWRF was unable to hold on, however, and lost the next two matches, 25-19 and 25-15.

Leading the Falcons in kills was outside hitter Kelsey Scheele. She had 11. Middle hitter Liz Braun chipped in nine of her own. Setter Alicia Cook had 32 assists. The Falcons served up a total of six aces in the match. Right-side hitter Andria Vetsch had three of those. Libero Mandy McKenzie led all Falcon defenders with 13 digs. The Falcons also ended the match with 12 block assists. Middle hitter Gina DeRosa contributed three. Braun and Scheele added three and two respectively.

North Central 3, RF 1
In another three-match-to-one loss, the Falcons fell to North Central. This time, the Falcons won the third match. The scores were: 25-21, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19.

Leading hitter was Scheele who had 16 kills. Vetsch had 13, and DeRosa had eight. Setter Deidre Held had 44 assists. McKenzie and Scheele each had 18 digs. Scheele also had four block assists, and DeRosa had six block assists. The only ace came from Braun.

RF 3, Chicago 1
Winning three out of four matches versus Chicago, the Falcons played solid ball. The match scores were: 25-21, 26-24, 25-15, 25-21.

Outside hitter Kara Buffington had 12 kills in the match as well as Scheele, who also had 12. Held had 45 assists, and a single ace. McKenzie had two aces, and leading the serving front was Vetcsh, who ahd six aces. Leading digger was Scheele with 18, and McKenzie had 12. Braun and Vetsch led a strong net with five and four block assists respectively. Buffington and DeRosa each had a single solo block, as well.

Elmhurst 3, RF 1
Continuing the trend of three-to-one matches, the Falcons fell to Elmhurst in just that fashion. Elmhurst took the first two matches, but the Falcons held on to some hope after winning the third. In a close match, Elmhurst managed to take the fourth and final match, 25-11, 25-17, 25-20, 25-16.

Scheele and DeRosa were leading hitters with nine and eight kills respectively. Held had 30 assists and two aces. Vetsch also contributed three aces of her own. McKenzie and Vetsch each had 16 digs, and Scheele had 12. Vetsch also had four block assists and a single solo block. DeRosa and Braun chipped in three block assists each.

Totals from the Invite included 58 kills from Scheele, 119 assists from Held, 12 aces by Vetsch, 59 McKenzie digs, and team total of 56 blocks.

At the end of the weekend, Scheele was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Next weekend, the Falcons travel to Whitewater for the Whitewater Invitational.

On Friday, UWRF plays Lakeland at 5 p.m. and St. Ambrose at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the Falcons face Carthage at 9 a.m. and Elmhurst for the second week in a row at 1 p.m.



2008 Schedule

Falcons Take Blue Devils in Four Sets

Oct. 22, 2008

Both River Falls and UW-Stout entered tonight's match with a 1-6 record in the conference. Through good serves and strong net play, the Falcons managed to beat the Blue Devils three sets to one.

After losing the first set, UWRF managed to win the next three, 25-22, 25-12, 25-23, 25-10.

Leading the Falcons in kills was outside hitter Kelsey Scheele who finished the night with 15. Scheele also led the team in digs with 21. Libero Mandy McKenzie had a respectable 16 digs of her own.

As a team, UWRF served up nine aces. Three came from Scheele, and four came from right-side hitter Andria Vetsch. Vetsch also contributed eight kills, seven digs, and five block assists.

Leading the front at the net was middle hitter Gina DeRosa. DeRosa ended the evening with five kills, a single solo block, and seven block assists.

River Falls ended the match with 58 digs, 20 blocks, and nine aces.

The Falcons ran a 5-1 offense, utilizing Alicia Cook as the setter. Cook is coming off an injury, and made an impressive show tonight with 32 assists.

UWRF is now 12-16 overall and 2-6 in WIAC play. This weekend, the Falcons travel to compete in the Elmhurst Invitational. On Friday, the team will face Wheaton at 4 p.m. and North Central at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the Falcons take on Chicago at 10 a.m. and Elmhurst at noon.

Game Box

2008 Schedule

Falcons Struggle to Finish Sets vs. UWP

Oct. 18, 2008

In their second WIAC match in two days, the Falcon volleyball team showed some lag versus UW-Platteville this afternoon at the Karges Center.

The Pioneers swept the Falcons in three matches, taking the Falcons to a 1-6 WIAC record.

In set one, the Falcons ran a 5-1, utilizing Becky Ponick in the setting spot. River Falls seemed to have all the momentum after Platteville's coach got a yellow card, putting the Falcons up 6-3.

Outside hitter Andria Vetsch served into the net, changing the score to 8-5, still in the Falcons' favor. Defensive specialist Drew Hample came in for Vetsch in the back row.

After a block by Ponick to keep the volley going, Platteville set the ball tight on the net. Middle hitter Gina DeRosa ate it up; killing the ball and upping the score, 10-8.

Seeing playing time was senior outside hitter Nina Cooper. Cooper subbed in for outside hitter Kara Buffington in the back row. A tight assist from Vetsch to outside hitter Kelsey Scheele allowed Scheele to get the kill, keeping the Falcons ahead by one, 13-12. After Vetsch served up an ace, the Pioneers took a time out. UWRF was up 17-14.

Later, Ponick delivered a beautiful quick set to DeRosa, and the Falcons went up 19-16. When the score read 22-19 in favor of River Falls, the Pioneers took another time out.

UWP had back-to-back attacks to libero Mandy McKenzie who had two great digs to keep the ball alive. However, her second dig went barely out of bounds, and the Pioneers found themselves within one, 22-21.

Poor communication between Ponick and McKenzie resulted in a dropped ball and Platteville's first lead of the game, 23-22. Vetsch had a big kill that brought the Falcons back within one, 24-23. But, Buffington's later attack soared out of bounds, and the Pioneers won set one, 25-23.

The Falcons stuck with their 5-1 offense with Ponick again for the start of the second set. Middle hitter Liz Braun had two back-to-back plays that gave UWRF a spark. Her first was a block that tied the score at two, and her second was a kill that put the Falcons up 3-2.

After continuing to struggle at the net, Buffington took a break when Head Coach Patti Ford subbed outside hitter Sami Kaminski in for her.

A poor set from Ponick resulted in a botched attack from DeRosa, and the Falcons fell behind 9-7. After another attack from the Falcons ended up going out of bounds, Ford called a time out. The score was 10-7.

Following the break, Ponick set an impressive ball to Kaminski for a kill, bringing the Falcons within two, 10-8. However, another example of poor communication arose, and the Falcons let an easy ball drop. The Pioneers were ahead 11-8.

Scheele attempted a back row attack, but hit the ball into the net. The Pioneers went up 14-10, and UWRF called another time out. After the time out, a UWP server's ball went out of bounds and the score was 15-11.

Showing more struggle in the back row, Cooper took a breather, and Ford subbed Kaminski in in the back row.

Platteville sent all three blockers to the middle when Scheele went for a kill. The ball was blocked, and UWP was ahead 19-11. Scheele later retaliated with an ace, and the score was 19-13.

A beautiful dig by McKenzie allowed Ponick to set the ball up nicely for Kaminski, but the attack was botched, and Platteville went up 20-13.

Changing things up even more, Ford substituted right-side hitter Ashley Wheeler in for Ponick. Setter Deidre Held replaced Vetsch in the back row. The Falcons were now running a 6-2, utilizing two setters.

Kaminski found herself in a battle on the net, and her strength prevailed. She managed to force a UWP player into the net, bringing the Falcons within six, 21-15.

The Pioneers managed to bring themselves to game point after an extremely short ace serve. However, a biffed hit gave the Falcons another shot, 24-16.

Platteville took the set, however, after a big kill. The final score was 25-16.

UWRF continued to run the 6-2 they implemented in set two when it came to set three.

A Platteville quick-set went out of bounds, and UWRF was ahead 3-1. After a Vetsch kill and net-serve by the Pioneers, and a kill by Wheeler, the Falcons found themselves ahead 9-3.

Another attempt at a quick-set from Platteville resulted in a UWRF point after DeRosa read the play perfectly and blocked the ball. River Falls was now ahead 12-7.

Hample, Vetsch, and McKenzie committed three reception errors in a row, and Ford called a time out. River Falls was only ahead now by two, 13-11. Bringing the fire back to UWRF for a moment was Vetsch. After the break, she had a massive kill along the line to put the Falcons ahead 14-11.

After McKenzie missed the serve, UWP got a kill, and Held botched an assist to Braun, River Falls found themselves beginning to be caught. The score was now 16-15. Another Platteville kill tied the score at 17.

A beautiful dig by Heldf allowed Wheeler to get off a nice set to Scheele. Scheele killed the ball, and UWRF went ahead 19-17.

Another reception error by Hample tied the game at 19. Later, a combo block by Wheeler and DeRosa tied the game at 20.

After a tight set from Ponick, DeRosa did all she could to get the ball out of the net, but she ended up getting called for the double-hit. The score was now 22-20 in favor of the Pioneers. Putting UWP ahead 23-20, McKenzie had a reception error of her own.

A Scheele/DeRosa block that went out of bounds put the Pioneers in a position to win, 24-20. The next play was very similar. DeRosa and Vetsch had a combined block that went out of bounds, and Platteville took the third set, 25-20.

It was an unusually quiet afternoon for the Falcons' big offensive players. DeRosa and Vetsch led all UWRF hitters with just seven kills each. Ponick added 15 assists. Scheele and Vetsch both served up an ace each.

The team had a total of five reception errors. Scheele and McKenzie led UWRF passers with 10 digs each. Braun had three block assits, and Scheele and DeRosa added two block assits of their own.

The Falcons face UW-Stout on Wednesday, October 22. The game starts at 7 p.m. in Menomonie. Next weekend is also the Elmhurst Invitational. On Friday, October 24, UWRF plays Wheaton at 4 p.m. and North Central at 6 p.m. On Saturday, October 25, they will play Chicago at 10 a.m. and Elmhurst at noon.

2008 Schedule

Falcons Block Hard, But Fall to LaCrosse Three Sets to One

Oct. 17, 2008

The Falcons played host to the LaCrosse Eagles tonight. The Falcons came into the match sitting with 1-4 conference record; the Eagles were 4-2.

UWRF played one of their best ball games yet, but couldn't finish in the long run. River Falls fell to LaCrosse three sets to one.

In set one, the Falcons ran a 5-1 with Becky Ponick in the setting position. Senior defensive specialist Drew Hample also some court time in the set. Right-side hitter Ashley Wheeler added more depth to the lineup in set one, seeing some playing time herself.

LaCrosse was up 15-10 when a blocking duo of middle hitter Liz Braun and Wheeler gave the Falcons some spark. However, a tight pass from one of the backrow players, forced Ponick into the net, and the Eagles increased their lead, 17-11. Braun and Wheeler had another combined block to give the Falcons some hope, once again, making the score 18-12. Freshman outside hitter Kara Buffington had added yet another Falcon block to the stats sheets, pulling UWRF within five, 18-15.

After a sloppy run by the Falcons, LaCrosse was ahead 22-15, and Head Coach Patti Ford called a time out. Immediately following the break, Buffington attempted to attack along the line, but only managed to hit it out of bounds. The Eagles went up 24-15. Middle hitter Gina DeRosa tipped the ball along the net; it fell on River Falls' side. The Eagles took the set, 25-15.

The fire the Falcons came out with in set two was very noticeable. Ponick was the first Falcon to serve, and she started with an ace. A block from outside hitter Kelsey Scheele and DeRosa gave UWRF another point. It was after LaCrosse set the ball too close to the net, allowing Scheele to kill it, that the Eagles called a time out because the Falcons had scored five unanswered points.

After the break, right-side hitter Andria Vetsch had a huge block to keep the ball and play, and immediately after that, she had a kill that put UWRF up 6-0. Ponick continued to control the serve until a DeRosa/Vetsch block landed beyond the line ended the Falcons' streak; they were up 9-0.

In the midst of the second set, Ford put in freshman setter Deidre Held to play back row for Vetsch, running a 6-2. In addition to Held, Ford also subbed in senior outside hitter Nina Cooper for Buffington in the back row.

In almost back-to-back plays, Vetsch, DeRosa, and Scheele had blocks that eventually put the Falcons up 12-3. LaCrosse took a time out when UWRF went up 14-3. When River Falls was within seeing-distance of a victory, Scheele had a huge block, once again, to put the Falcons up 21-8. Next, Scheele had two back-to-back kills -- one from the back row, the other from the front -- that put the Falcons at game point, 24-9. Buffington ended the set with a kill. UWRF won 25-9.

The Falcons' momentum from set two carried over to the start of set three. They managed to go up 8-0. Three of those points came from three Scheele kills; another came from libero Mandy McKenzie's impressive net-hitting serve. After said serve, the Eagles called a time out.

After a Scheele/Braun block duo fell out of bounds, Vetsch took matters into her own hands, getting a point from a kill. The score was still in favor of the Falcons, 9-1. It was only a matter of time before LaCrosse found themselves nearing River Falls. They eventually brought the score to 11-6.

Cooper kept the fire alive for UWRF with an ace that put them ahead 15-8. On her next serve, however, she tried to drop the ball just over the net. The ball hit the top of the net and took an unlucky roll before falling on the Falcons' side. LaCrosse now trailed 15-9.

A quick-set and kill from Ponick and DeRosa put the Falcons up 17-10. When the Eagles pulled within four, 18-14, UWRF took a time out. After the break, a big LaCrosse block caught the Falcons standing. The score was still in favor of the Falcons, but only by two, 19-17.

Several botched plays by the Falcons tied the game at 22. An extremely nice pass from Cooper set Ponick up to deliver a beautiful quick-set to DeRosa, putting the Falcons up by one, 23-22.

Several impressive digs from Scheele and McKenzie later, the game was tied at 27. When Ponick failed to kill a tip, LaCrosse took the set 29-27.

Scheele had two monsterous kills right off the bat to start off set four. One of her kills was from the back row and put the Falcons ahead by one, 5-4. Shortly after, Buffington had a kill that put UWRF up 9-6. Held delivered a beautiful set to Wheeler, who killed it. Now, the Falcons were up 10-7.

When the Eagles began closing the gap, Ford called a time out. LaCrosse killed the ball from the back row; it would have been out of bounds, but Ponick soared and barely got her fingers on it. The error tied the game at 14.

Three biffed serves in a row:a serve served out of bounds by McKenzie, a serve shot into the net by LaCrosse, and another net-serve from Scheele, managed to keep the game close; River Falls was only up by one, 17-16.

Later, an Eagles kill tied the game at 18. An uncommon reception error by Scheele put LaCrosse up by one, 19-18.

Several sloppy offensive hits out of bounds from UWRF put LaCrosse at game point, 24-19.

The set ended when Buffington's strong attacked went out of bounds. LaCrosse won the set 25-19. They took the match three sets to one.

Leading the Falcons in kills was Scheele; she had 20. Braun and DeRosa each added five. Ponick had 24 assits, and Held chipped in ten of her own. UWRF served up a total of six aces; Ponick had two, and Scheele, McKenzie, Cooper, and Wheeler each had one. Scheele and McKenzie led in digs with 18 and 13 respectively.

The strongest point for the Falcons came from their hardcore net play. They ended the night with a total of 22 blocks; LaCrosse had six. DeRosa was the biggest up front with six block assists. Braun added five block assists, and Scheele had four.

The loss puts the Falcons at 1-5 in the WIAC and 11-15 overall. Their next match is tomorrow night. The Falcons will host the UW-Platteville Pioneers at noon. UWP swept the Falcons in three sets the last time the two teams faced which was on October 5, 2007.

Platteville is currently sitting right in the middle of the conference with a 2-3 record.

2008 Schedule

Falcons Split on Second Day at UWRF Invite

Oct. 11, 2008

The Falcon volleyball team split again on the second day of the UWRF Invitational on Saturday at the Karges Center.

The Falcons opened with a three-sets-to-none win over Augsburg. But UWRF lost, three-sets-to-one against St. Mary's.

River Falls 3, Augsburg 0
The Falcons opened with a 25-17, 25-19, 25-23 win over Augsburg.

Kelsey Scheele, who was named to the All-Tournament team, led UWRF with 16 kills and a .424 hitting percentage. She also had two aces and 10 digs. Gina DeRosa added five kills, three solo blocks and three block assists. Kara Buffington finished with five kills, an ace and three digs. Alicia Cook led the Falcons wtih 24 assists and she had four digs. Mandy McKenzie led the Falcons wtih 13 digs.

In the first set, Augsburg led, 10-9, before the Falcons went on a 5-1 run to take a 16-12 lead. UWRF led from that point on and built a 23-16 lead at one point. In the second set AC scored the first three points and led early, 4-1. But the Falcons responded by scoring four straight points to take a 5-4 lead. AC outscored UWRF 6-2 to take a 10-7 lead before the Falcons tied it at 10-10. The set had just a one point difference until UWRF scored three straight to take a 20-18 lead and then the Falcons scored hte final five points to get the win. In the third set

St. Mary's 3, River Falls 1
The Falcons opened with a 25-22 win, but St. Mary's came back to win the next three, 25-15, 25-28 and 25-20.

The Falcons had three players who finished with 10 or more kills - Scheele had 14, DeRosa 13 and Buffington finished with 10. DeRosa hit .423 and the Falcons hit .211 as a team. Becky Ponick led the team with 21 assists. She replaced an injured Cook, who finished with 17 assists. Scheele also led UWRF with14 digs and McKenzie had 10. Andria Vetsch led UWRF with two block assists.

In the first set the Falcons scored the first five points to take an early lead. SMU came back to take a 14-13 lead, but UWRF went on a 7-1 run to take a 20-15 lead. SMU got to within 21-20 and the Falcons put the set away scoring four of the last six points. SMU took off on a 6-1 run to lead early in the second set. UWRF got to within 6-5, but St. Mary's took control of the match with a 6-0 run to take a 21-12 lead. SMU led early in the third set, 4-1. The Falcons took a 12-11 lead by outscoring SMU, 7-1. But SMU responded by scoring eight of th enext nine points to take a 19-13 lead. In the final set, the Falcons led early, 3-1. The sete was tied, 11-11, but SMU went on a 7-1 run to take an 18-12 lead. The closest the Falcons could get after that was 19-16.

The Falcons, now 11-14 overall, will play two WIAC matches next weekend at the Karges Center. On Friday the Falcons host La Crosse at 7 p.m., and on Saturday host Platteville at noon.

2008 Schedule

Falcons Win, Lose at UWRF Invite

Oct. 10, 2008

UWRF won and lost on the first day of the Falcon Invitational held Friday at the Karges Center.

The Falcons had little trouble in a three-sets-to-none win over Macalester to start the tourney. But Loras beat the Falcons in three sets to put the Falcons at even for the first day.

River Falls 3, Macalester 0
The Falcons won 25-12, 25-15, 25-22.

Kelsey Scheele led the Falcons with 11 kills and a .611 hitting percentage. She also had an ace, five digs and two block assists. Gina DeRosa finished with seven kills and led the Falcons with two solo blocks and four block assists. Andria Vetsch and Kara Buffington each had five kills. Vetsch had four block assists. Mandy McKenzie led UWRF with seven digs and Drew Hample had five. Alicia Cook had all 29 set assists the Falcons had in the match.
UWRF hit an outstanding .347 with 31 kills and just six errors in 72 attacks. They had just two reception errors.

In the first set, Macalester scored the first point, but the Falcons scored the next six. With UWRF leading, 10-8, the Falcons scored seven straight points to take a 17-8 lead. Later the Falcons added four straight points to take a 21-10 lead.

In the second set, the Falcons twice scored four straight points and twice scored three straight. UWRF led, 20-10, at one point.

In the final set, the Falcons trailed, 6-4, but scored six straight points to grab a 10-6 lead. The Falcons led 22-11 before the Scots scored 10, including eight straight, of the next 13 points. The Scots climbed to within three (24-21), before a Falcon time out. They added one more point before the Falcons were finally able to get the set and match winning final point.

Loras 3, River Falls 0
Loras won the match, 25-22, 25-21 and 25-16 to raise its record to 16-3 overall.

Kara Buffington led the Falcons with nine kills. Scheele and DeRosa added seven apiece and Vetcsh finished with six kills and she led the Falcons with four aces. Vetsch led UWRF with three block assists while DeRosa had two. McKenzie had 14 digs and Scheele nine. Cook again led the Falcons with 29 assists. The Falcons didn’t hit as well as the first match finishing with 33 kills and 15 errors. They had a .159 team hitting percentage.

The Falcons held 8-3 and 10-4 leads in the first set. But Loras took the lead when they scored five straight points to take a 16-13 lead. UWRF outscored LC 7-1 late in the match to take a 22-20 lead. But Loras scored five straight points to take the win. The second set was close throughout with Loras holding a two-point lead for most of the middle of the match. In the third set, with the score tied, 8-8, Loras outscored UWRF 10-0 to take a commanding lead.

The Falcons, now 10-13 overall, will play Augsburg at 10 a.m., and St. Mary’s at 2 p.m., on the second day of the UWRF Invite at the Karges Center.

2008 Schedule

Falcons Lead 2-0, but Fall to Blugolds in Five

Oct. 8, 2008

UW-River Falls hosted their “Think Pink” match this evening at the Karges Center. The match was one for the books, but the Falcons fell to the Blugolds of UW-Eau Claire in five matches. The loss puts the Falcons 1-4 in WIAC play (9-12 overall) and leaves the Blugolds undefeated at 4-0.

Both teams warmed up wearing light pink “Dig for the Cure” t-shirts and wore pink ribbons in their hair. River Falls also had pink ribbons on their shirts and little temporary tattoos on their right arms. Eau Claire wore pink jerseys instead of their usual white or blue throughout the match as well.

Freshman outside hitter Kara Buffington has been playing exceptional ball as of late, and because of it, she found herself in the starting lineup in tonight’s match. Rotating in for her in the back row was senior defensive specialist Drew Hample. As they have been for the last several matches, River Falls ran a 5-1 offense, utilizing Alicia Cook in the setting position.

The intensity was high throughout the entire match, but it was the Falcons who came out with most of it during the first set. A massive kill by middle hitter Gina DeRosa put the Falcons up 7-4 and forced the Blugolds to call a timeout. A few plays later, DeRosa had a tip kill to put the Falcons up 11-8. Keeping the ball alive throughout the set was libero Mandy McKenzie who had a huge dig off Eau Claire’s senior outside hitter Abby Freiborg.

Off a good pass from outside hitter Kelsey Scheele, Cook was able to set DeRosa up for the perfect kill, allowing the Falcons to better their lead, 17-10. Middle hitter Liz Braun served up an impressive ace to put the Falcons ahead 23-15. The match ended on a Scheele attack that fell through the hands of the Blugold blockers. The final score was 25-18.

Set two was packed with even more momentum in favor of the Falcons. River Falls managed to pull ahead 10-3 before Eau Claire was forced to call a timeout. Following the timeout, Scheele had a spectacular flat-hand dig to keep the rally going. However, the Blugolds managed to get the point, tightening the Falcons’ lead, 12-6. With help from Cook, DeRosa got her hands on a ball, picking up a block kill that put the Falcons ahead 18-7. On the next play, Scheele got a kill, and the Blugolds took a timeout. Immediately following Eau Claire’s timeout, DeRosa came back at the net with another kill. Now River Falls led 20-7.

On game point, it was McKenzie who, once again, kept the volley alive with a mad dig. However, the Blugolds managed to scoop the point and brought themselves within 15, 24-9. Eau Claire middle blocker Danielle Lucia served the ball into the net, sending the Falcons into set three undefeated. The final score of the set was 25-10.

It wasn’t until a block kill by Buffington that put the Falcons up 13-10 put the fire back into River Falls. Seconds later, DeRosa had another block kill to bring the score to 14-11. Later, DeRosa received a quick set from Cook, but misjudged the timing. DeRosa used her skill to hit the ball on her way down. She spiked it to the back right corner for the point. The Falcons went up 15-11.

Immediately following her impressive net play, DeRosa got called for breaking the plain above the net while going up for a block. This put the Blugolds down by three, 15-12. Head Coach Patti Ford disagreed with the call and argued her point to the floor official. Ford received a yellow card for her attempts.

Scheele delivered a back row attack that put the Falcons up 16-14, and it was then that the momentum seemed to be shifting back into River Falls’ favor. On the next play, Hample served an ace, and the Falcons led 17-14. However, showing poise, the Blugolds managed to rally again and take the lead, 19-18. River Falls used a timeout.

The break served Hample well as she killed a back row attack, bringing the Falcons within one, 20-19. It was Scheele who kept the Falcons alive. Her kill pulled the Falcons ahead 23-20. However, McKenzie missed her serve, and the Blugolds were within two, 23-21.

The rest of the set seemed a little out of control for the Falcons. With the game tied at 23, McKenzie stumbled over Scheele, unable to get to the ball in time, and the Blugolds went up 24-23. Eventually, Eau Claire prevailed and won 25-23.

It was Buffington who once again got the momentum swinging toward the Falcons in set four. Her kill brought the Falcons within three, 8-5. Her attack also knocked the Blugold’s blocker to the ground. Both teams seemed to be struggling at the net with their attacks; several hits sailed out of bounds on both sides of the court.

Cook’s quick set to DeRosa narrowed Eau Claire’s lead to 14-12. The Blugolds net players attempted to deliver a tip kill, but didn’t get it over the net. This put the Falcons down by one, 15-14. A kill by outside hitter Andria Vetsch tied the set at 15. Scheele delivered an ace, and Vetsch hit another kill. The Falcons took the lead, 17-15. However, the Blugolds managed to tie the game at 17 shortly after.

A strong kill and impressive tip kill in back-to-back plays kept the Blugolds steady as they tied the game at 20. When Eau Claire took lead, 23-22, the Falcons called a timeout. Returning from the timeout, Cook had a nice block to keep the ball alive, but regardless of her play, the Blugolds got the point and went up 24-22. They would go on to take the set 25-22.

This sent the match to game five, which is played to only 15 points. Back-to-back missed serves by the Blugolds put the Falcons up to a quick lead, 3-1. A timeout was called when the game got tied at four. The environment was insane, and the both teams’ intensity was indescribable. Vetsch kept the Falcons hopes alive with a big kill to tighten the Eau Claire lead, 7-5. Later, Buffington had a smart tip to bring the Falcons closer to the Blugold lead, 8-6.

Adding to her already spectacular night at the net, DeRosa – with help from Cook – blocked at Eau Claire spike to bring the Falcons within one, 8-7. Two long volleys resulted in two Blugold points and increased their lead, 10-8. Hample served the ball out of bounds to add to the Blugold lead, 11-8.

DeRosa took control once again, killing a huge solo block in the middle to bring the Falcons within one, 11-10. An attack hit out of bounds by Eau Claire tied the game at 11. After touching a serve that would have been out of bounds, giving Eau Claire a point, Scheele regained herself by killing a ball to narrow the Blugold lead, 13-12. Another spike went out of bounds for Eau Claire, and the game was tied at 13.

Scheele tied the game at 14 with another massive kill. A ball tipped on the line by Eau Claire put them in a position to win, making the score 15-14. As is WIAC rule, a team must win by two. The Blugolds took the win with a kill. The Blugolds came back from two games down to take the match three games to two.

Leading the Falcons in kills was Scheele with 22. She only had one error out of 33 attempts, giving her an incredible .636 hitting percentage. She also led the team in digs with 17, and had one service ace. DeRosa and Vetsch had 11 and 10 kills respectively. Cook ended the night with 54 assists and four block assists. McKenzie finished with 16 digs, and Vetsch added 12 of her own. DeRosa led all Falcon blockers with four block assists and a single solo block. Buffington also had a solo block.

The UWRF Invitational is this weekend, starting Friday, October 10. The Falcons play Macalester at 3 p.m. and Loras at 7 p.m. on Friday. They face Augsburg at 10 a.m. and St. Mary’s at 2 p.m. on Saturday, the 11th.

2008 Schedule

Falcons Fall to UWSP in Hard-Fought Match

Oct. 3, 2008

The Falcons fell to 1-4 in the WIAC after losing to UW-Stevens Point in five sets, 25-21, 17-25, 21-25, 25-17, 15-9.

Outside hitter Kara Buffington led the team in kills with 13. Outside hitter Kelsey Scheele and middle hitter Gina DeRosa each chipped 10. Scheele also led the team in digs with 17. Libero Mandy McKenzie had 14 of her own.

The Falcons ran a 5-1, as they have been for several games. Alicia Cook was the setter on the court. She had 36 assists and five digs.

DeRosa and outside hitter Andria Vetsch led the team at the net defensively with a single solo block and a single block assist a piece.

Scheele was the only Falcon to serve an ace. In fact, she served ten.

The team sees a lot of action next week when they take on UW-Eau Claire Wednesday, October 8 at 7 p.m. at the Karges Center. Starting Friday, October 10, the team hosts the UWRF Invitational. River Falls will play Macalester at 3 p.m. and Loras at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the Invite continues, and the Falcons play Augsburg at 10 a.m. and St. Mary’s at 2 p.m.

Box Score

2008 Schedule

Falcons Top Superior in WIAC Match

Oct. 1, 2008

The Falcons won their first WIAC match of the year with a three sets to none win over UW-Superior on Wednesday night at the Karges Center.

Seeing ample playing time in the night's match was defensive specialist Drew Hample and freshman outside hitter Kara Buffington. The Falcons ran a 5-1 offense, using Alicia Cook as their primary setter.

In the first set, the Falcons fell behind, 13-9, but managed to tie the game at 18. When River Falls went up 20-18, the Yellowjackets called a timeout. The game got tighter when a UW-Superior hitter made an error to put the Falcons up by one, 25-24. An assist error from Cook tied the game at 25, but a smart tip at the net by outside hitter Kelsey Scheele put the Falcons in control once again. After an attack error by the Falcons, the game was tied at 27. Buffington and middle hitter Liz Braun ended the set with an impressive block for a point. The Falcons won the set, 29-27.

The second set stayed close until the end. Middle hitter Gina DeRosa had a big kill to put the Falcons up 13-12. Not long after, Scheele had a huge solo block that put the Falcons up by three, 15-12. DeRosa and right hitter Andria Vetsch ended the set just the way the first one had ended: on a block for a set winning point. The Falcons won the set, 25-20.

The Falcons came out in the third set in command. Cook was the first to serve, and she served nine points in a row before Superior managed its first point. Eventually, River Falls went up 15-5. Set three ended with a kill by middle blocker Justine Speckel. The Falcons won, 25-12.

Scheele led the Falcons in kills with 14. Buffington had nine. DeRosa and Vetsch had seven and five, respectively. Scheele also led in digs with 24. Libero Mandy McKenzie and Cook each added 10 digs. Cook was also the only Falcon to serve an ace in the match. Leading the blocking front was DeRosa with a single solo block and seven block assists. Scheele also had a single block and four block assists. Buffington and Vetsch chipped in three and two block assists, respectively.

The Falcons, now 9-10 overall and 1-2 in the WIAC, will play Friday at Stevens Point with action starting at 7 p.m. The Pointers are 0-3 in the WIAC. The last time the two teams faced, in 2007, Stevens Point won the match three sets to one.

Box Score

2008 Schedule

Falcons Finish 2-2 at Central Tourney

Sept. 29, 2008

The Falcons went 2-2 at the Central Invitational last weekend.

The Falcons opened with a loss to Hope College, but came back to beat Buena Vista University on Friday. On Saturday, the Falcons beat St. Olaf before losing to Central College.

In the match versus Hope College, outside hitter Kelsey Scheele led the team with 13 kills and 20 digs. Libero Mandy McKenzie added 17 of her own digs as well. Right hitter Andria Vetsch had an impressive match with 11 kills, 13 digs, and three block assists. Setter Alicia Cook led all other players in assists with 40; she also had 10 digs. Middle hitter Gina DeRosa owned the net with a single solo block and two block assists.

Regardless of their high numbers, the Falcons fell in five sets: 21-25, 25-13, 25-10, 16-25, 15-7.

Against Buena Vista University, the Falcons made a more victorious showing. Scheele led the team in kills once again with 18; she also chipped in 12 digs, two solo blocks, and a single block assist. McKenzie led the team in digs with 20. Outside hitter Kara Buffington had a respectable 13 kills. Cook swept the board in assists again with 46. She also had three aces and 10 digs. DeRosa showed skill at the net yet again with 10 kills, three solo blocks, and two block assists.

The Falcons beat Buena Vista in five sets: 23-25, 25-29, 25-20, 11-25, 15-5.

The Falcons started Saturday off on the right foot by beating a talented St. Olaf team. Buffington led the team in kills with 14; Scheele added 10. Scheele also had 12 digs, and McKenzie threw in 11 of her own. Cook led the team in assists again with 39. Vetsch and DeRosa made a name for themselves at the net yet again. Vetsche had two solo blocks and five block assists. DeRosa had a huge four solo blocks and six block assists.

UWRF beat St. Olaf in three hard-fought sets to one: 25-15, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23.

The Falcons faced the hosts, Central College, in their final match. Buffington had seven kills, which was the most on her team. Scheele added six more, and Vetsch had five of her own. DeRosa also had four. Scheele also had nine digs, and McKenzie had eight. Vetsch and Cook added seven a piece, as well. Cook also had 24 assists. DeRosa led in blocks again with a single solo block and two block assists.

The Falcons fell to the home team in three sets: 25-16, 25-20, 25-15.

Falcon Coach Patti Ford said she was pleased with the team’s overall performance throughout the weekend, saying they played extremely well. “All phases of our game are getting better,” she said. Ford highlighted the specifics, saying that her Falcon passing has looked good, and the serving is what kept them ahead this weekend. The defense and net play also held a major responsibility for the team’s successes.

DeRosa was named to the All-Tournament team.

The Falcons face two WIAC opponents this week - UW-Superior on Wednesday at the Karges Center with the match starting at 7 p.m., and at UW-Stevens Point on Friday at 7 p.m.

RF-Hope Box Score
RF-Buena Vista Box Score
RF-St. Olaf Box Score
RF-Central Box Score

2008 Schedule

Falcons Host THINK PINK Match on Oct. 8

Sept. 28, 2008

The Falcon volleyball team will host its inaugural "THINK PINK" match on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. in Karges Center to raise both money and awareness for breast cancer.

The first 200 fans in the door, wearing PINK attire, will receive a free Falcons volleyball t-shirt.

With October being National Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Falcons will collect donations for the Susan B. Komen Foundation through the "Dig for the Cure" campaign. Fans, businesses and family members may pledge amounts for every dig the Falcons record against UW-Eau Claire that night, or they can make flat donations.

Each of the Falcon players has a goal of collecting $500 for the cause. All proceeds collected will be donated on behalf of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) to the Komen Foundation in Madison.

During the match, the Falcons will wear pink warm-up shirts, pink shoelaces and pink hair ribbons and will set up a Breast Cancer Awareness booth and tribute outside of Karges.

"The Falcons are honored to have the opportunity to partner with the other WIAC institutions and the Komen Foundation to raise money and awareness for breast cancer--a disease that has affected all of our lives in some way," said Falcon Head Coach Patti Ford. "Our THINK PINK event is a great way to get the campus and community involved in the effort."

To donate to "Dig for the Cure," please visit www.uwrf.edu/sports to fill out a pledge sheet or send donations to Patti Ford, Volleyball Coach, 123 Hagestad Hall, River Falls, WI 54022.

Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures.  Nearly $1 billion has been invested to fulfill the promise of finding a cure, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

2008 Schedule

Falcons Lose WIAC Match at Oshkosh

Sept. 20, 2008

The Falcons dropped a WIAC match at UW-Oshkosh on Saturday, three sets to none.

UWO won, 25-11, 25-18, 25-22 to improve to 14-0 overall and 2-0 in the WIAC. Oshkosh is ranked No. 10 in the AVCA.

Kelsey Scheele again led the Falcons wtih eight kills. Andria Vetsch added seven kills and two block assists. Justine Speckel had four kills. Becky Ponick, who had six digs, led the team with 12 assists and Alicia Cook had eight. Liz Braun had the only service ace for the Falcons and she had two block assists. Mandy McKenzie led UWRF withi seven digs.

UWO was led by Megan Fischer who had seven kills. Christina Cahoon had 14 digs. The Titans finished wtih 11 service aces led by Katie Beining who had four.

UWRF is now 17-29 all-time against the Titans. Oshkosh has won six of the last 11 matches. The last UWRF win, three games to one, came in 2006.

The Falcons, now 6-8 overall and 0-2 in the WIAC, will next play at the Central College Tournament on Friday and Saturday. They face Hope at 5 p.m., and Buena Vista at 7 p.m.

Box Score
2008 Schedule

Falcons Lose WIAC Opener at Whitewater

Sept. 19, 2008

The Falcons lost their WIAC opener at UW-Whitewater on Friday night, three sets to one.

The Falcons started strong winning the first set, 29-27. But UWW rebounded to win the next three, 25-21, 25-21 and 25-18. It was just the third match all year that Whitewater (8-4 overall) lost the first set in a match. UWW is now 8-4 overall.

Kelsey Scheele led the Falcons with eight kills and 14 digs. Andria Vetsch had a solid match with seven kills, two aces, six digs and two block assists. Gina DeRosa, who finished with five kills, had one solo block and three block assists to lead that Falcons in that category.

Becky Ponick (13) and Alicia Cook (11) led the Falcons in assists. Linnea Osterberg led UWRF with three aces and she had 11 digs.

Sofia Sanchez led UWW with 10 kills and Alyssa Bauer had 11 digs.

The Falcons play at UW-Oshkosh in another WIAC match on Saturday. Action starts at noon. UWO is ranked No. 10 in the AVCA.

Box Score
2008 Schedule

Sept. 16, 2008

Falcon volleyball player Kelsey Scheele has been named WIAC player of the week according to league Sports Information Director, Matt Stanek.

Scheele, a 5-10 junior outside hitter from Norwood, Minn., helped lead the Falcons to a 3-1 record at the Ripon Tournament last weekend. She was named to the All-Tournament team after leading the Falcons in kills in all four matches. The Mayer Luther High School product also led the Falcons in digs in three of the four matches. She averaged 3.69 kills and 4.07 digs per set. She finished with a .242 hitting percentage and had two service aces and two block assists.

The Falcons open WIAC play this weekend at Whitewater on Friday at 7 p.m., and at Oshkosh on Saturday at noon.

Falcons Finish Second at Ripon Tournament

Sept. 13, 2008

TThe Falcons wrapped up the Ripon Tournament in a victorious fashion. The Falcons fell three sets to none versus St. Norbert, but was able to take Dubuque in three sets. The result of the weekend for River Falls was a successful 3-1 record.

Kelsey Scheele led the Falcons in kills with seven in the first match of the day against St. Norbert. Scheele also led the team in digs with 14. Gina DeRosa had three block assists, which led the team. Becky Ponick had 10 assists.

St. Norbert swept the Falcons in three sets, 25-8, 25-13, and 25-14.

The Falcon’s next match proved to be a little brighter. River Falls swept Dubuque in three close sets, 25-21, 25-23, and 25-22. Scheele led in kills again with 12, and DeRosa was right behind her with 10 of her own. Ponick and Alicia Cook had an even assisting record with 18 and 19, respectively. Scheele had 11 digs to lead the team again, and DeRosa was huge at the net. She had two solo blocks and four block assists. Andria Vetsch also had four block assists.

Six players were named to an All-Tournament team. Making a showing for the Falcons was Kelsey Scheele, who made All-Tournament last weekend as well at the UWRF Invitational.

The Falcons finished second in the tournament with a 3-1 record. Placing first was St. Norbert with a 4-0 record.

The Falcons next match is Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in Whitewater. It will be the first conference match for the Falcons. Last time the two teams faced each other, the Warhawks took the match three sets to one.

2008 Schedule

Falcons Prove Victorious in First Day of Ripon Tournament

Sept. 12, 2008

The Falcons made a good showing during the first day of the Ripon Tournament winning twice.

The team’s first match was against Ripon. The match consisted of four games, two of which had to go to 26. The Falcons beat the Red Hawks three sets to one, 24-26, 26-24, 25-10, 25-22.

Outside hitters Kelsey Scheele and Amy Weber led the team in kills with 13 a piece. Alicia Cook had 37 assists, which was more than seven times as many as any of her teammates. Scheele also led in digs with 20. Defensive specialist Mandy McKenzie had 13, and Weber had 12. Leading blocker was Gina DeRosa with five.

The second match for the Falcons was against the Pioneers of Carroll College. The Falcons were able to take this match in three sets, 25-16, 25-23, 25-15. Scheele had 16 kills, leading the team again. Cook had the most assists with 21. McKenzie and Weber had 12 digs each.

The Falcons next matches of the Invite are Saturday against St. Norbert at 10 a.m., and against Dubuque at 2 p.m. St. Norbert enters Saturday's play with a 10-0 record and beat the Falcons earlier this year at the St. Norbert Tourney in five sets, 24-26, 25-16, 17-25, 25-21, 15-12.

2008 Schedule

Falcons Split First Day of Invitational

Sept. 5, 2008

After falling down two games to none versus Hamline in their first match of their home invitational, the Falcons showed extreme poise in game three.

In the first two games, the Falcons ran a 5-1 behind setter Becky Ponick, but throughout the rest of the match, they changed to a 6-2, using Ponick as well as setter Alicia Cook. Outside hitter Andria Vetsch had a huge angled block kill that started the momentum in the Falcons favor near the middle of game three. Middle hitter Gina DeRosa added a kill that split Hamline’s block. The hit led to a double-hit for the opponent and a point for the Falcons.

Outside hitter Amy Weber served up two aces that gave River Falls points 23 and 24. Game three was won by the Falcons off a kill from Vetsch. The final score was 25-13.

Game five was played to 15, as is rule in the WIAC. Outside hitter Kelsey Scheele brought the team some hope after digging a hard-hit ball. Scheele made the dig with a flat hand on the court. However, the Falcons would fall behind 10-6 before Head Coach Patti Ford called a timeout.

DeRosa left the huddle with fire, and had a kill to bring the Falcons within three at 12-9. Later, DeRosa had a nice block kill, keeping the team within range at 13-10. Libero Mandy McKenzie had a service error that allowed the Pipers to go up 14-10. Hamline won 15-12, taking the match three games to two.

Vetsch, Scheele, and DeRosa led the team in kills. Vetsch had 18; Scheele ended with 11; and DeRosa had 10.  Scheele also led the team in digs with 12. DeRosa posted four blocks. Ponick chipped in 32 asssits, and Cook added 18 more.

The Falcons had several hours to kill before their next match versus Bethel. With much help from DeRosa, the Falcons went up 10-7 before the Royals took a timeout. However, Bethel found momentum and turned the tables, going up 15-14 at one time. River Falls founds its swing again and won a hard-fought game one 25-22.

Immediately into game two, the Falcons found themselves fighting. They went down 10-3, but came back to tie the score at 12. Weber made a service error that put the Royals up 20-18. However, the Falcons did not give up the fight, and ended up winning the game 25-23.

Game three was just like the first two: very tough. Good volleys were seen from both teams throughout game three. The Falcons and Royals were tied at 20 when things really got heated. Bethel went up 22-19. Vetsch had a sweet kill to bring the Falcons within one at 23-22. Middle hitter Liz Braun with a little help from Vetsch made a big block to tie the game at 23.

Just as in the previous games, Weber’s serving seemed to be the key to the Falcon’s hot streak. Later, Weber had a back row attack that went out of bounds and tied the game at 24. Vetsch had yet another kill, tying the game at 25. Scheele, with help from Braun, blocked a ball that put the Falcons up 26-25. In a very classy style, Braun served up an ace to win the game – and the match – for the Falcons.  The final score was 28-26, and the Falcons swept the Royals three games to zero.

Scheele led the Falcons in kills again with 11; outside Ashley Wheeler added nine. Cook had 24 assists, and Ponick chipped in 13 more. McKenzie recorded 15 digs, more than doubling the next highest on the team.

The first day ended okay for the Falcons, finishing 1-1. The team wraps up their invitational on Saturday, September 6, 2008 when they face Bethany Lutheran and St. Catherine.

2008 Schedule

Volleyball Team Opens Season at
St. Norbert Tourney on Friday

Aug. 25, 2008

By Renee Thony
UWRF Sports Information

After a disappointing 8-26 overall and 1-7 WIAC season records in 2007, the Falcon volleyball team looks to rebuild and make a stand this year.

The team only lost two seniors in outside hitter Courtney Schroeder and rightside hitter/outside hitter Krista Russell. Returning to the lineup as seniors are: Drew Hample, libero; Nina Cooper, outside hitter; and Justine Speckel; middle hitter. Hample was second on the team last season in digs per game with 2.56. Speckel was top seven in digs per game with 1.33.

Head Coach Patti Ford says the team's strength comes in its junior class. Rightside hitter Andria Vetsch returns as well as middle hitter Gina DeRosa, who Ford says will be one of the best middless in the conference this year. Last season, DeRosa was second on the team in kills per game (2.32). She also led the team in blocks (1.16 per game). Leading the team will be outside hitter Kelsey Scheele. Scheele was named to the All-WIAC team as a sophomore last year, and Ford says she will be the one brining the strongest court experience. Last season Scheele led the team in kills per game (3.65), digs per game (4.36), and points per game (4.08).

A large freshmen class returns this year as some experienced sophomores. Becky Ponick, the Falcons assist leader from last season (6.97 per game), returns bringing experience to the setting position. Another setter was added to the team in sophomore Alicia Cook. Ford says both Ponick and Cook could see ample playing time because the team runs both a 5-1 and a 6-2 offense. Libero Mandy McKenzie brings great ball control and defense back to the Falcons this year. Last season, McKenzie was in the top three on the team in digs per game with 4.12. Rightside hitters Ashley Wheeler and Samantha Kaminski (also an outside hitter) return as well as middle hitter Elizabeth Braun. Ford says Braun is merging as one of the team's top middle hitters. Braun didn't play in many matches last season, but Ford sees a solid future for her.

Seven freshmen areadded to the roster this season.Three of the top in the class include: Julie Blume, a setter from Herman, Minn.; Kara Buffington, an outside hitter from Hudson, Wis.; and Linnea Osterberg, a libero from Center City, Minn. Ford expects great things out of the three freshmen as well as the rest of the class.

Ford has two new assistant coaches at her side this year. Corey Phelps will bring experience to the program. He's coached at the University of Minnesota - Morris and at St. Mary's University in Winona, Minn. Kat Krtnick knows the style of ball Ford expects.. Krtnick was an All-WIAC setter for the Falcons (2003-06) and she returns to add valuable talents and attitude. Ford is excited about the coaching staff, and she feels they will work together very well.

As is the case every season, the WIAC will be tough in 2008. Ford says the keys to her team's success include making necessary day-to-day improvements, taking the season one match at a time, and playing the best ball they can around October. "This is a rebuilding year," Ford says. "We have a talented team to rebuild. Our returners are poised. They know what to do."

The Falcons open their season this weekend at the St. Norbert Tournament. Friday they face Clarke and Finlandia and on Saturday they play Northland and St. Norbert.

UWRF will host two invitationals this year. The first is Sept. 5-6 and will have seven teams competing. On Oct. 10-11 six teams will compete at the Karges Center.

The Falcons open WIAC play on Oct. 1 when they host UW-Superior at the Karges Center at 7 p.m. UWRF also hosts UW-Eau Claire (Oct. 8), UW-La Crosse (Oct. 17) and UW-Platteville (Oct. 18) in WIAC play.

2008 Schedule