MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Milwaukee Area Technical College capped its Sophomore Day with a hard-fought split at the Stormer Invitational, dropping a four-set match to Morton College before bouncing back to defeat Harper College 3-1.

The Stormers' comeback win over Harper (20-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-21) halted a five-match losing streak and improved their season record to 27-11, including a dominant 8-1 mark at home. Earlier in the day, MATC's loss to Morton (16-25, 22-25, 25-21, 16-25) marked its first home defeat in over two years, ending a 21-match win streak that dated back to Oct. 24, 2023.

In between matches, MATC head coach Shel DeLisle paused to recognize the program's sophomore class — a group that has helped shape the team's identity through steady contributions. Surrounded by family and teammates, sophomores Jamie Palmer, Kimberly Busateri, Savannah Raymer, Angelina "AJ" Azbell, Rachel Krueger, Kendall Revolinski, and freshman Grace Adams were celebrated for their impact both on and off the court.

"It was bittersweet to see the sophomores come out with their parents to be recognized," DeLisle said. "Six of them were such a big part of our success last year in qualifying for nationals, and we hate to say goodbye to Grace [Adams], who came in with sophomore standing this year and contributed as if it were her second season. They have all done so much for our program, and five of them hold top-10 records at MATC. I will truly miss them when they graduate. I'm proud of all they have accomplished and looking forward to seeing what they do in the future."

Match 1:
Morton 3, MATC 1 (16-25, 22-25, 25-21, 16-25)

Morton College controlled the net for much of the match, hitting an efficient .355 in the opening set and closing with a dominant .560 clip in the fourth. The Panthers outpaced Milwaukee Area Technical College in total kills (58–33) and maintained a steady edge in attack percentage, especially in the final frame where MATC managed just a .143 mark. The Stormers showed signs of life in the third set, posting 13 kills with a .273 hitting percentage, but struggled to sustain momentum across the match.

In total, the Stormers finished with 33 kills, 15 service aces, 57 digs, 10 block assists and one solo block while combining for a .139 hitting efficiency.

"I was hoping we would bring it back against Morton," DeLisle said. "They don't make a lot of mistakes, so we would have had to be at the top of our game. It didn't happen, so now we prepare for the chance that we see them again in the playoffs."

Natalia Farrugia paced the Stormers' attack with seven kills on 22 swings, hitting an efficient .318 while adding three block assists and five digs. Rachel Krueger led the team in total points with 14, finishing with nine kills, four aces and a pair of block assists.

Grace Adams and Hope Martens each posted perfect hitting percentages, going 1-for-1 at the net, while combining for 23 digs and three service aces. Kimberly Busateri anchored the back row with a team-high 16 digs and chipped in three aces and seven assists.

Match 2:
MATC 3, Harper 1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-21)

After a sluggish start, Milwaukee Area Technical College flipped the switch and surged to a four-set victory over Harper College. The Stormers struggled to find their footing in the opening frame, hitting just .000, but quickly turned the tide with a .300 attack percentage in the second set. From there, MATC maintained its momentum, posting .226 and .250 clips in the third and fourth sets, respectively. The offensive turnaround, fueled by sharper execution, proved decisive as the Stormers closed out the match with three straight set wins.

"Harper is a strong team, too," DeLisle said. "So we knew it was going to be a challenging day. Their setter was good last year and has really come into her own this season, but our blockers really brought it and it was hard for her to find a hitter to get past them. Grace Adams was a surprise in the front row. With Savannah Raymer still recovering from a sprained ankle, we needed to find someone who could solidly fill her role. Although Grace does not usually play front row, and is a little undersized, she played big on Saturday."

Collectively, MATC totaled 43 kills on a .183 hitting efficiency, along with 64 digs, 15 service aces, 16 block assists and five solo blocks.

Allison Chapman led the Stormers' attack with 11 kills on 19 swings, posting a .421 efficiency while also contributing two block assists. Kayleah Laughlin totaled 10 kills on 26 swings, hitting an efficient .269 while adding two service aces, one block assist and eight digs.

Natalia Farrugia delivered a well-rounded performance with eight kills on a .353 hitting percentage, two solo blocks, six block assists and 14 total points. Kimberly Busateri anchored the back row with a team-high 21 digs and added an ace and three assists.

Hope Martens sparked the serve game with six aces and 15 assists, while Grace Adams contributed three kills, 21 assists and six total blocks. Kendall Revolinski added seven kills on a .227 clip, chipped in three aces and recorded six digs and a block assist to round out the Stormers' balanced effort.

UP NEXT
MATC (27-11) will travel to College of Lake County for a 6 p.m. road match Tuesday.