What a weekend for collegiate volleyball fans! The Papa John's Invitational in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, on October 4, 2025, delivered high drama, standout performances, and more than a few surprises as top teams from across the region clashed in a series of marathon matches. From the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's roller-coaster day to Gustavus Adolphus College's five-set thrillers, and Colorado College's Texas showdown, there was no shortage of energy on the courts.
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Blugolds kicked off their day at Stevens Point with a heart-stopping five-set victory over Carthage, posting set scores of 25-20, 25-15, 14-25, 19-25, and a nail-biting 16-14 finish. With 11 service aces and a resilient team effort, the Blugolds managed to stave off a determined Carthage squad. The opening set saw Eau Claire capitalize on Carthage's attack and service errors, with a pivotal 5-0 run late in the set, largely thanks to Norah Erickson's four kills. Service aces from Mya Cinnamo and Hannah Thole helped set the tone early, building momentum that carried the Blugolds through the first two sets.
By the second set, Eau Claire was firing on all cylinders. Cinnamo and Abby Stanwood combined for a flurry of kills, while Carthage struggled with four service errors. The Blugolds closed out the set decisively at 25-15. But Carthage wasn't done yet. They stormed back to take the third and fourth sets, 25-14 and 25-19, exploiting a string of Blugold attack errors and shifting the pressure back onto Eau Claire.
The decisive fifth set was a true test of nerves. UW-Eau Claire found themselves trailing 4-1 before Sasha Bovard rattled off a string of service aces to flip the lead in the Blugolds' favor. The set swung back and forth, but timely kills from Cinnamo and Bailey Leeke, combined with crucial Carthage errors, allowed Eau Claire to escape with a 16-14 win. Abby Stanwood was everywhere, posting 13 kills and 13 digs, while Cinnamo matched her 13 kills and added two assists. On defense, Kaitlyn Erickson led with 17 digs, and Thole distributed 21 assists and served up three aces.
With that win, the Blugolds improved to a remarkable 15-1 overall and remained undefeated at 3-0 in the WIAC. The day, however, was far from over. Next up was a clash with the No. 10-ranked Washington University in St. Louis. The Blugolds fought valiantly in a tight opening set but ultimately fell 25-23 after a late surge by WashU. Lili Hagg's three blocks and two service aces from Kaitlyn Erickson kept Eau Claire in the hunt. The Blugolds roared back in the second set, dominating 25-16 as Cinnamo tallied four more kills and the team capitalized on WashU's errors.
But WashU responded with championship poise in the third set, taking it 25-22 behind a flurry of blocks and key kills from Leah Oyewole. In the fourth, Eau Claire jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but WashU took advantage of Blugold service and attack errors to seize control and close out the match 25-20. Stanwood led the defensive charge with 16 digs and added 17 points, while Cinnamo paced the offense with 17 kills. Erickson contributed 19 digs and 8 assists, and Thole anchored the attack with 20 assists and 10 digs. For her efforts throughout the tournament, Mya Cinnamo was named to the All-Tournament team. Eau Claire's record now stands at 15-2, with WashU improving to 14-3 and Carthage at 13-6.
Meanwhile, the No. 20 Gustavus Adolphus College Gusties were making waves of their own at the Papa John's Invitational. Their morning began with a dramatic five-set win over Millikin, 25-16, 21-25, 27-25, 22-25, 15-6. The third set was a seesaw battle, with Gustavus rallying from a 17-15 deficit to eventually snag a 27-25 win. Millikin forced a fifth set, but Gustavus jumped out to a commanding 7-1 lead and never looked back, sealing the match 15-6. Sydney Timm led with 18 kills, Leah Berg added 16, and Logan Brent chipped in 14. Ella Olson was a force from the service line, delivering six aces, and Greta Tompkins dominated the net with six blocks. Macie Malchow and Sahara Morken combined for 45 assists.
The Gusties carried that momentum into their afternoon showdown with host UW-Stevens Point, racing to a 2-0 lead with 25-13 and 25-22 set wins. They looked poised for a sweep, but the Pointers had other ideas, clawing back to win the next three sets—25-23, 25-20, and 15-9. Leah Berg starred again with 20 kills, Brent added 15, and Timm 14. Tompkins contributed four aces and five blocks, while Maren Sundberg anchored the defense with 25 digs. Gustavus wrapped up the weekend 2-1, improving to 16-4 overall, and now look ahead to MIAC play against St. Olaf and Augsburg next week.
Down south in Houston, the Colorado College Tigers were busy splitting a pair of SCAC matches. The Tigers swept the University of Dallas in straight sets, 25-7, 25-7, 25-16, riding a dominant offensive performance. Carolyn Dormady led the way with 14 kills, Camille Sherrill had 10, and Brooke Brilliant added nine. Annie Joo orchestrated the attack with 30 assists and, along with Meghan Gannon, led the defense with 11 digs each. The Tigers' .347 hitting percentage was their second-highest of the season.
But the afternoon brought a tougher test as Austin College snapped Colorado College's four-match winning streak in a four-set battle, 27-25, 16-25, 25-21, 28-26. Sherrill exploded for 22 kills, Dormady added 16, and Joo posted a career-high 49 assists. Gannon was everywhere defensively, collecting a season-high 25 digs. The Tigers left Houston with an 11-4 overall record and a 4-1 mark in SCAC play, eager to bounce back at home against College of Wooster on October 7.
What's next for these squads? For the Blugolds, the road continues with a trip to the University of Northwestern (MN) on October 8. Gustavus Adolphus returns to MIAC action with a pair of key matchups, while Colorado College gets set for a home stand at Reid Arena. If this weekend was any indication, fans can expect more fireworks as the season heats up!