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Box Score

New Ulm, Minn. – The Minnesota Morris volleyball team saw their four-game winning streak end today (Oct. 28), suffering a 3-1 loss on the road to Martin Luther.

The host Knights prevailed in an overtime first set 28-26, before taking the match after 25-13 and 25-17 wins in the second and fourth sets, with the Cougars claiming just a 26-16 win in the third.

Morris (17-12, 7-6 UMAC) won back-to-back points late to take a 26-25 lead, but a Cougar service error on the next point was the three straight for Martin Luther (16-12, 9-4 UMAC) as the Knights went on take the opening set. The Cougars finished the night hitting just .144, topping out with a .200 mark in their third-set win, while the Knights hit .214, including .361 and .306 marks in the second and fourth sets respectively.

The loss knocks the Cougars out of contention for a third place finish in the final UMAC standings, while also leaving their UMAC Tournament hopes hinging on tomorrow's match with Bethany Lutheran. The Cougars swept the Vikings in their first meeting on the season, meaning as long as the Cougars take at least one set in tomorrow's match-up, they will finish in fourth place and advance to the UMAC Tournament at the No. 4 seed.

Stephanie Schmiesing (Melrose, Minn.) led the Cougars with her best match of the year, posting 17 kills with just four errors to hit .419 and pace the offense. Emily Auch (Benson) added nine kills, with Kaylie Clark (Garden Plain, Kans.) also pitching in eight while the Cougars finished with 50 for the match.

Martin Luther had three players in double figures for kills, led by 16 from Rebecca Engelbrecht.

Natalie Thomas (Champlin, Minn.) finished with 33 assists on the night, making just one error in setting seven different players to at least one kill.

Auch led the defense with the second highest tally of her young career with 18 digs, with Clark adding 17 and Brita Humphrey (Minnetonka, Minn.)adding 16 as she moves closer to 1,000 in her career. Humphrey now has 926 in her three years with at least two games remaining on the season.

With their longest winning streak since mid September broken, the Cougars will look to get back on track with a pair of games tomorrow to close out the regular season. First will be the UMAC finale at Bethany Lutheran at 11:00 a.m. before finishing up with Augsburg, also in Mankato at 1:00 p.m.