MADISON, WISC. - The Madison College women's volleyball team is finding a groove as the 2022 season reaches its third full week. The WolfPack, ranked #13 in the NJCAA Division III Poll, extended a season-high win streak to four consecutive matches with a pair of wins at the Madison College Triangular on Saturday inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium. Madison College opened with a sweep of Bay College (MI) and followed with a 3-1 decision against Dakota County Technical College (MN).

Match #1: #13 Madison College 3, Bay College 0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-20)

In the first-ever meeting with the Norse, Madison College was firing on all cylinders with double-digit kills in all three sets of the match, highlighted by a .290 attack percentage in the opening set and a match-high 15 kills in the second set. The WolfPack also doubled up Bay College (4-4) with eight aces and six blocks.

Freshmen middle blockers MacKenzie Plunkett and Sophia Venne led the WolfPack attack. Plunkett, a McFarland, WIsconsin, native, was tops with nine kills and a .438 efficiency, while Venne, a product of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, added seven kills and a .375 percentage. 

Setters Daryn Schaefer and Mariah Best posted 19 and 15 assists, respectively. Katie Wagner reached a team-leading 15 digs, followed by Aubie Kappes with 13. Other statistical leaders included Tyra Anderson with three aces, and Gabby Hack with three blocks.

Match #2: #13 Madison College 3, Dakota County Technical College 1 (24-26, 25-21, 26-24, 25-16)

The day's final match was to decide the day's big winner after Dakota County Technical College (0-4) also defeated Bay College. The Blue Knights outlasted the WolfPack in an intense opening set that needed extra points. After Madison College evened the set count in the second, the Pack returned the favor with a extra points win in set number three before rolling to the match win in the fourth.

Madison College racked up 13 kills in the opening set, followed by ten in the second and a dozen in the third. They also controlled the net defensively, with a 9-4 edge in blocks.

Two players reached double-digits in kills, with freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist Kendall Weisensel smashing a career-best 12 kills on a .167 attack percentage. That was part of an impressive double-double for the Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, native, as she tied for the team lead with 19 digs, and also served up a team-best five aces. 

Former Lake Mills HS athlete Gabby Hack reached ten kills for the third time this season, and did so thanks to a team-high .318 hitting efficiency. The 5'11" middle blocker/outside hitter also denied three DCTC attacks.

Freshman Katie Wagner, a libero from Waterloo, Wisconsin, matched Weisensel with 19 digs, while setters Mariah Best and Daryn Schaefer both tallied double-doubles thanks to 11 digs each. Schaefer had 22 assists and Best amassed 17 assists. 

The all-time series is now tied at 1-1 after DCTC downed the WolfPack last season in Minnesota.

Up Next:

Madison College (8-3) continues a six-match homestand with a showdown against former North Central Community College Conference rival Rock Valley College (7-7) on Wednesday, September 7. The Golden Eagles are no longer a member of the N4C after moving up to NJCAA Division II. The two programs have met 72 prior times, with RVC owning a 43-28-1 lead in the all-time series. First serve inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium is set for 6:00 p.m. The match will be streamed live at MadisonCollege.tv.

Follow WolfPack volleyball: Facebook | Twitter