DECORAH, Iowa - The University of Dubuque women's volleyball team remained undefeated in conference play on Tuesday evening as the #23 Spartans (18-2, 3-0 A-R-C) defeated Luther College (5-15, 0-3 A-R-C) 3-1 (20-25, 15-16, 25-18, 25-22). The Spartans still control their own destiny in the race for the regular season conference championship.

The Spartans started off slow in the first set, watching the Norse jump out to a 5-0 lead that they would later extend to 18-8. Despite a late rally filled with Spartans kills, the Norse took the first set 25-20. The Spartans would roar back in the second set, using a five-point rally to take an 11-6 lead early. Kills by Delainey Winkel, Megan Cooley, and Halee Clare helped put the Norse away, knotting the match at one set apiece via a 25-16 set Spartans victory. The third set was more of the same, with Winkel adding three kills in a seven-point run that would give the Spartans an 8-1 lead. The third set was never very close as the Spartans cruised to a 25-18 victory. Both teams traded short runs early in the fourth set, and the Norse, looking to force a fifth set, were able to tie the fourth set at 22-22. Chloe Reiser shut down the Luther comeback bid by slamming three kills past the Luther defense to seal a 25-22 victory, as the Spartans triumphed 3-1.

Winkel recorded 15 kills in the contest to lead the Spartans. She also added 2 service aces and two blocking assists during the match. Payton Uptagraft and Megan Cooley amassed eight and seven kills, respectively. Despite playing in just one set, Reiser totaled seven kills, the most by a Spartans player this season who only played in one set. Clare and Caitlin Jensen continued to torment opposing hitters, as Clare recorded a solo block and four blocking assists, while Jensen added five blocking assists to her season total. Taylor Bechen surpassed 20 digs again on Tuesday, tallying 25 in the four-set affair. Alexis Kammerer and Ashlyn McGinnis set up the offensive explosion, notching 27 and 18 assists in the match.

Up Next

The Spartans will take a quick detour from A-R-C play with a visit to La Crosse as they will face UW-La Crosse on Friday, October 10 at 6:00 p.m. The Eagles (15-8, 0-3 WIAC) have defeated all three A-R-C opponents they have faced this season, besting Loras College, Luther College, and Nebraska Wesleyan University all by a score of 3-1.