From University of Chicago Athletics

The No. 21-ranked University of Chicago volleyball team extended its win streak with matching 3-1 victories over No. 19-ranked University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Millikin University on Saturday.

The Maroons won their third-straight match and improved to 18-8 overall. The Titans fell to 21-7 and the Big Blue dropped to 20-11.

UChicago 3, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 1 (25-23, 17-25, 25-21, 25-18)

Two nationally-ranked foes squared off in the opener. The first set was predictably close as each side exchanged 3-4 point runs. Three kills by three different players late gave the opening set to UChicago, 25-23.

After an early 7-7 tie, the Titans flexed their muscles and pulled away down the stretch, including a four-point run to go ahead 23-15. Wisconsin-Oshkosh soon evened the match, 25-17.

Outside hitters Maren Loe and Audrey Scrafford turned up their offensive production with a combined 14 kills in the third set. Loe in particular came up clutch by supplying five of the team's final six kills. The Maroons turned a 20-19 deficit around with five points in-a-row, resulting in a 25-21 third-set win.

The Loe/Scrafford combo upped the output in the fourth set with a combined 16 kills. Scrafford provided the final two kills to win the match at 25-18. The freshman finished with a career-high 25 kills versus only three errors for an impressive .489 hitting percentage. Loe was right behind with 23 kills of her own.

UChicago posted a hitting percentage of .294 (69 kills, 22 errors, 160 attempts), six blocks and 64 digs. The service game hampered the Maroons as they served up 10 errors versus four aces. Senior setter Ragine Graves topped out at 39 assists and 11 digs. Junior libero Mary Claire Tuohy served three aces and dug 18 balls. Freshman outside hitter/setter Jessica Wang produced a career-best 12 digs.

Wisconsin-Oshkosh hit .233 in the match (48-14-146) with three aces, four service errors, four blocks and 57 digs.

UChicago Stat Leaders
Audrey Scrafford (Fr.) – 25 kills
Maren Loe (Sr.) – 23 kills
Ragine Graves (Sr.) – 39 assists, 11 digs
Mary Claire Tuohy (Jr.) – 18 digs, 3 aces, 3 assists
Jessica Wang (Fr.) – 12 digs

UChicago 3, Millikin 1 (18-25, 25-18, 25-12, 25-23)

The host Big Blue rolled out to a fast start with a .405 hitting percentage in the first set. Three-straight attack errors from UChicago put the team in an 18-12 hole and Millikin capitalized to win the set, 25-18.

Neither side was able to get much rhythm on offense in the second set, totaling a combined hitting percentage of .148. However, the Maroons were able to return the favor, 25-18.

The third set was all UChicago as the visitors outhit Millikin .370 to -.111 in the proceedings. Attack errors by the hosts helped jump start several runs. The Maroons led 21-6 at one point and finished the set at 25-12.

The Big Blue improved their play in the fourth set and a rally from five points down tied the score at 20-20. But UChicago held strong at the end and concluded the day with a win, 25-23.

For the match, the Maroons hit .242 (46-14-132) with four aces, six service errors, five blocks and 57 digs. Scrafford led the way again on offense with 18 kills. Loe posted 13 kills and five digs. Graves handed out 26 assists and collected 11 digs defensively. Tuohy and Wang finished with 12 and 10 digs, respectively.

UChicago Stat Leaders
Audrey Scrafford (Fr.) – 18 kills
Maren Loe (Sr.) – 13 kills, 5 digs
Ragine Graves (Sr.) – 26 assists, 11 digs
Mary Claire Tuohy (Jr.) – 12 digs
Jessica Wang (Fr.) – 10 digs