After winning the first two games of the championship match against defending champion Juniata and positioning itself three points from closing out the match in Game 4, Wisconsin-Whitewater saw its commanding 27-17 lead evaporate as Juniata scored 13 consecutive points to force a fifth and deciding game.

While shaken, the Warhawks regrouped to post a 15-12 win in that game and complete a 30-25, 30-25, 22-30, 27-30 skein.

Wisconsin-Whitewater coach Stacy Boudreau credited senior setter Abbie Mueller with steadying her team.

"She is a tough player mentally -- she wants to win," Boudreau said. "Physically she has all the skills, and she kept her composure. She was a freshman on our 2002 championship team. She's a winner."

Mueller was named the tournament's most outstanding player after finishing with 51 assists and 16 digs in the final.

Sweating out a fifth game was the last scenario Boudreau expected her team to be in when the Warhawks were up 10 points in the fourth game.

"We just had to tough it out," she said. "We would get ahead and couldn't finish. We could taste it. It was so close. (Juniata) never gave up."

Wisconsin-Whitewater (40-4) scored the first four points of the fifth game thanks to kills by Cassie Uttech, Alison Miller, Rebekah Nelson and a service ace by Mueller.

The Eagles (37-2) crept to within 13-12 before surrendering the last two points on kills by Nelson, who had a .364 hitting percentage in the final match.

"Our girls left their hearts out there," Juniata coach Larry Bock said. "They never gave up either night, but we just came up a little bit short. It was pretty clear that we didn't lose this match -- Whitewater won it."

Bock's team had a stirring comeback in the semifinals with a 26-30, 30-24, 27-30, 30-21, 16-14 victory over Wittenberg.

Nelson, with 19 kills in the final, and Uttech, who contributed 17, joined Mueller on the all-tournament team. Juniata's Rachel Schatz also was an all-tourney selection after finishing with a match-high 23 kills in the final.

Quarterfinals

Juniata def. Colby, 30-12, 31-29, 30-16; Wittenberg def. New York U., 34-32, 27-30, 30-20, 28-30, 16-14; La Verne def. Washington-St. Louis, 30-18, 30-25, 30-27; Wis.-Whitewater def. Emory, 30-27, 22-30, 30-28, 30-25.

Semifinals

Wis.-Whitewater def. La Verne, 30-27, 30-17, 30-24; Juniata def. Wittenberg, 26-30, 30-24, 27-30, 30-21, 16-14.

Championship match