Overview

• Result: Maranatha 3-2 Wisconsin Lutheran (20-25, 25-17, 16-25, 25-18, 15-11) 
• Venue: Recreation Complex, Wisconsin Lutheran College
• Attendance: 124
• Record: Sabercats are now 12-8
• Next Match for MBU: Friday, October 6 at the Oshkosh Classic

MILWAUKEE -- The Sabercats registered a season-high kills total (52) in a thrilling five-set comeback win at Wisconsin Lutheran tonight. The barn-burning match went back and forth, and MBU had the grit to come out on top.

Claire Hansel recorded a career-high 12 kills, and Alexis Bueltel contributed 13 kills in the win. With this result, MBU improves to 12-8 while the Warriors slide back to 7-12.

The hosts came out swinging in the first set, as they registered an impressive 18 kills to take a 25-20 win. MBU had 6 different players register kills in the opening set, but even the Sabercats' diverse offense could not stop the Warriors from taking the opener.

Maranatha rebounded in the second set, as they took a 25-17 win thanks to Bueltel's early efforts. The senior registered 2 early kills and 2 big solo blocks to set the momentum in MBU's favor. Bueltel then added 3 more kills to help MBU tie the match at 1.

The resilient Warriors rebounded to take set number 3, which was the most lopsided of the night. MBU struggled to gain offensive momentum, as they had just 7 kills and 7 hitting errors. On the other side of the net, Alyssa Charron and Alysha Kahlow combined for 10 kills for the Warriors. The Charron-Kahlow tandem combined for 27 kills on the night.

Enter Hansel, who helped the Sabercats bounce back from that set 3 loss. Hansel tallied 4 big kills in the middle stages of the set to shift the flow of the match back in MBU's favor. The sudden shift in momentum had an effect on the Warriors, who recorded 4 errors in the late stages, which sealed the set for MBU.

All square.

In the fifth and final set, the Sabercats' attack was on point. Early kills from Hansel, Bueltel, Karley Johnson and Kelsey Johnson gave MBU a slight edge, but the Warriors stayed with it and tied the set at 7. A 3-0 Maranatha run then forced WLC to call a timeout, but from then on the Sabercats went away with a 6-3 run to win the set and the match, all while recording just 1 hitting error in the final set. Late kills from Madeline Suderman and Gabrielle Carpenter helped seal the match for MBU.

Karley Johnson's contributions included 7 kills, 23 assists, and 10 digs. Bueltel had a standout night as well, as she notched 2 solo blocks, 15 digs and 3 aces besides those 13 kills.

The win marks the 7th win in the last 10 matches for the Sabercats. Since 2006, Maranatha leads the series 10-3.

The Sabercats will now look ahead to the Oshkosh Classic hosted by UW-Oshkosh this weekend. MBU will face St. Olaf Friday at 5:30 p.m. to begin the tournament. Catch all the details at mbusabercats.com/composite