#1 Oshkosh survives first test

As you probably already saw and/or heard, No. 1 UW Oshkosh downed No. 12 UW-Whitewater, 3-1, in front of a nice crowd at Kolf Sports Center – which was like a sauna, by the way – tonight. Oshkosh (15-0, 3-0 WIAC) won its 23rd consecutive home match and is now in the driver’s seat for the WIAC regular-season title.

The Titans got back on track after getting handled quit easily in Set 3 and being down 8-2 in Set 4. Oshkosh stormed to a 15-14 Set-4 lead, and Whitewater could only get five sideouts the rest of the way.

If you didn’t know, you do now – Oshkosh has a freshman outside hammer named Al Bagin. To me she was the game-changer, along with fellow outside Katie Beining. Those two put on a show in spurts. Not to be outdone, Whitewater outsides Keri Klotzbuecher and Sofia Sanchez had some swings where it was a good thing there were not any Oshkosh players under the ball because they would probably be out for a while.

Besides Set 3, when Whitewater (9-4, 1-2 WIAC) was like a machine, Oshkosh showed why it’s No. 1. Not the best match in terms of ball control, and there were some tentative tips, but the Titans got out of the gym with a no-doubter in the first match with the national bulls-eye on their backs thanks to good net D, the outside swingers and the best libero in the country, Christina Cahoon. Why teams test her passing skills is beyond me.

In summation, it was a nice chapter of a fierce rivalry in which the home team finally won. Both teams displayed why they are national contenders. If the Warhawks can replicate what they did in Set 3, they’ll be at nationals. Their setter, Alyse Karls, was outstanding tonight.

-Ricky Nelson