After two consecutive runner-up finishes, Wisconsin-Whitewater can finally call itself a champion in Division III women's volleyball. The Lady Warhawks downed the perennial power Washington (Missouri) Bears, 30-24, 30-28, 30-25 in the championship final December 7. A capacity crowd of 1,534 in the Williams Center on the Wisconsin-Whitewater campus witnessed the win.

Game one saw Wisconsin-Whitewater charge to a 14-10 lead before Washington tied the game at 21. With the score 26-24, the Warhawks ended the game on a 4-0 run.

The Warhawks took another early lead in the second game, but the Bears battled back with an 11-3 run to take a 13-11 lead. The two teams traded points until the game was tied 28-28. A clutch solo block by Wisconsin-Whitewater's Lindsay Tomasovich followed by a Katie Monhart kill ended the game.

In game three, Washington used a 5-1 run to take a 16-14 lead. Whitewater returned the favor with a 7-1 run and then pushed through for the win.

Angie Wildish led the Warhawks with 10 kills, 19 digs and four service aces. Monhart had 13 kills and 11 digs, while Megan Kay posted three solo blocks. Kristin Dettman dished out 35 assists and 15 digs.

Cindy McPeak led the Bears with 13 kills, and Heidi Pfeiffer contributed seven kills and one solo block. Rebecca Rotello had 35 assists and 12 digs.

Wisconsin-Whitewater finished the season 36-4 with its first national championship while Washington ended 41-2. To get to the final, Wisconsin-Whitewater defeated Juniata, 27-30, 29-31, 30-21, 30-28, 15-13, and Washington downed Trinity (Texas), 30-17, 31-29, 30-28.

A win in the third-place match gave Trinity its best finish since 1999 when it was runner-up. The Tigers downed Juniata, 30-20, 30-23, 30-26. Juniata won the third-place match last year.

Named to the all-tournament team were Wisconsin-Whitewater's Dettman, Tomasovich and Wildish; Washington's Rotello; Johanna Holtan of Juniata; and Morgan Anderson of Trinity.

Semifinals

Washington (Mo.) def. Trinity (Tex.), 30-17, 31-29, 30-28; Wis.-Whitewater def. Juniata, 27-30, 29-31, 30-21, 30-28, 15-13.

Third place

Trinity (Tex.) def. Juniata, 30-20, 30-23, 30-26.

Championship