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Box Score
Morris, Minn. – The University of Minnesota, Morris volleyball team won in a thriller today (Oct. 29), rallying from a two-sets-to-none deficit to win beat Martin Luther in five.
Minnesota Morris (18-11, 10-3) was on the brink of being swept in the third set, down 23-19, but rallied behind the perfect serving of Nichelle Grage (Austin, Minn.) to score six straight points for a 25-23 win. Comebacks were the theme of the night for the Cardiac Cougars and after a 25-21 win in the fourth set, the Cougars found themselves down 8-to-1 to start the fifth. Again undaunted, the Cougars went on a 14-to-3 scoring run to close the match and win their sixth straight.
This mark the second time this season that Cougars have won six straight matches, and also extend their unblemished mark in five-set matches to 5-0.
Despite going down early in the fifth, the Cougars made just one error in the set – their best mark of the night – and hit a match high .391 in the deciding set. Minnesota, Morris hit .250 in their come-from-behind third set win as well as .167 in the fourth, with all three marks equaling or better the best single set tally from Martin Luther on the night.
Martin Luther (17-12, 7-6) was held to just a .095 hitting percentage for the match, making 34 errors compared to 52 kills. The Knights hit over .150 just once and in the fourth were held to a -.049 tally with eight errors against just six kills.
In each of the final three sets the Cougars overcame at least a four-point deficit before earning the win, but also had at least one stretch of five straight points as well.
Three players finished in double-figures for kills led by Megan Theis (Shakopee, Minn.) in the night she surpassed 1,000 for her career. With the third kills of the match, Theis joined the 1,000-kill club, on her way to 14 overall and a .361 hitting percentage.
Kaylie Clark (Garden Plain, Kans.) joined Theis with 14, with Steph Schmieising (Melrose, Minn.) not far behind with 13.
Natalie Thomas (Champlin Park, Minn.) dished out 46 assists, while also chalking up 14 digs on the night. Clark added a team high 18 digs to her effort, while Brita Humphrey (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Jordan Olerud (Redwood Falls, Minn.) added 16 and 15 digs respectively.
Olerud was honored before the match as she joined the 1,000 kill club last week in the Cougars win over Coe. Both her and Thies received commerorative game balls from their coaches and teammates.
The Cougars wrap up UMAC play tomorrow hosting Bethany Lutheran at 11:00 a.m., before closing out the regular season with a match at 3:00 p.m. against Dakota Wesleyan.
Regardless of the outcome of the match with Bethany Lutheran, Minnesota, Morris' first round UMAC Tournament opponent is set, as they must hit the road to take on Northwestern. The Cougars will enter at the third seed, with Northwestern as the two-seed. St. Scholastica wrapped up the regulars season UMAC title tonight.
