Milwaukee City Wire

Milwaukee's volleyball team achieved its 20th victory of the season with a reverse sweep against Cleveland State at the Klotsche Center. This win marked their eighth consecutive triumph. Kara Erdmann set a new single-season record by accumulating 664 digs, contributing 34 in this match alone. The team's defensive efforts were notable, with Milwaukee amassing 96 digs and six blocks over the final three sets.

Head coach Susie Johnson expressed pride in her team's performance: "I told the team after the match how proud I was of their composure and that they rose up to the occasion in a pressure-filled match."

Offensively, Milwaukee displayed balance as six players recorded at least eight kills. Natalie Schmitz led with 15 kills, while Czhen Beneby added 11 and achieved a .429 hitting percentage. Madi Malone also had a double-double with 10 kills and 17 digs.

Johnson and Milica Tomic each provided 27 assists, showcasing balanced playmaking. Tomic also excelled in serving, delivering three aces.

Despite a slow start marked by errors, Milwaukee rallied after losing the first two sets to Cleveland State, who initially hit .281. The Panthers improved their hitting percentage to .214 over the final three sets while limiting Cleveland State to .144.

Coach Johnson acknowledged Cleveland State's strong performance: "Cleveland State played so well today, but we were able counter and play our style of game to earn that win."

The third set ended with Milwaukee securing five of the last six points for a 25-22 win. In the fourth set, Lakyn Graves' contributions helped build an early lead despite Cleveland State's attempts to close the gap. The deciding fifth set saw both teams tied at seven before Milwaukee pulled ahead following key plays from Graves and others.

This victory marks Milwaukee's fourth reverse sweep this season. Despite this success, Wright State clinched the regular season title elsewhere on Friday night. As such, Milwaukee is confirmed as the second seed for the Horizon League Championship semifinals on November 23rd in Dayton, Ohio.

Milwaukee will conclude its regular season against Cleveland State once more on Saturday afternoon when they honor their graduating seniors.