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Platteville clinches third straight SWC title
Hillmen improve to 8–0 in SWC with sweep of Richland Center
Cooley
Junior Maddie Cooley had 11 kills in Platteville's sweep of Richland Center last Tuesday night. - photo by file photo by Jason Nihles

PLATTEVILLE — Platteville swept visiting Richland Center 25–13, 25–16, 25–19 last Tuesday night in dominating fashion to clinch at least a share of a third-straight Southwest Wisconsin Conference volleyball title.

The Hillmen (31–6, ranked #3 in Division 2), who haven’t lost a set in conference play all year, improved to 8–0 in the SWC with the win.

Platteville is now 88–26 in three years under coach Danielle Duerst, including 27–1 in SWC matches. 

Duerst’s Hillmen enters Thursday night’s Senior Night match against visiting Dodgeville with a chance to clinch the outright league title. River Valley (20–10, 7–2 SWC) is 1 1/2 games back entering its Thursday night match at Richland Center.

Senior middle hitter Izzy Carroll posted a double–double of 13 kills and 13 digs to lead Platteville’s balanced attack last Tuesday against the Hornets. Junior middle hitter Alayna Digman added 12 kills and one block, while junior outside hitter Maddie Cooley added 11 kills on just 16 attempts with only two errors (.562 hitting percentage) to aid the Platteville offense.

Sophomore setter Emily Fields passed out a season-high 40 assists as Platteville combined to hit .226 and served up three of the team’s eight aces in the victory. Seniors MJ Stephens (16 digs), Becca Hoyer (13) and Josie Nies (12) each posted double digit digs to lead the Platteville defense.

Saturday the Hillmen went 2–3 to place sixth at the nine-team Madison Edgewood Invitational. 

Platteville dropped a close three-set match to Madison Memorial, 19–25, 27–25, 15–13, then defeated Mount Horeb, 25–16, 25–27, 15–13 in pool play. The Hillmen then suffered a 27–25, 25–20 loss to eventual runner-up Waterloo, before bouncing back with a 19–25, 26–24, 15–9 comeback victory over Mount Horeb in a silver bracket match.

Platteville finished the day with another narrow loss in a rematch with Madison Memorial, 19–25, 25–23, 15–12, in the silver bracket championship match (fifth-place match).


Platteville 3, Richland Center 0
(from Tuesday, Oct. 1 @ Platteville)
Richland Center 13 16 19
Platteville 25 25 25
Platteville stat leaders 
Kills: Izzy Carroll 13, Alayna Digman 12, Maddie Cooley 11, Becca Hoyer 5. Blocks: Carroll 1, Cooley 1, Digman 1. Assists: Emily Fields 40. Aces: Fields 3. Digs: MJ Stephens 16, Carroll 13, Hoyer 13, Josie Nies 12.


Madison Edgewood Invitational
(from Saturday, Sept. 21 @ Middleton)
Championship: Union Grove def. Waterloo 25–18, 25–13
Semifinals: Union Grove def. DeForest 25–20, 14–25, 15–13
Waterloo def. Madison Edgewood 25–18, 27–25.
Platteville match scores
Madison Memorial def. Platteville 19–25, 27–25, 15–13
Platteville def. Mount Horeb 25–16, 25–27, 15–11
Waterloo def. Platteville 27–25, 25–20
Platteville def. Mount Horeb 19–25, 26–25, 15–9
Madison Memorial def. Platteville 19–25, 25–23, 15–9
Platteville stat leaders 
Kills: Izzy Carroll 57, Alayna Digman 32, Becca Hoyer 22, Josie Nies 21, Maddie Cooley 19. Blocks: Carroll 18, Digman 16, MJ Stephens 12, Cooley 6.  Assists: Emily Fields 116. Aces: Digman 6, Carroll 4. Digs: Stephens 60, Nies 45, Hoyer 41, Carroll 32, Fields 30.