DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota Morris (21-11, 11-2 UMAC) clinched a home match on Wednesday night with a sweep over St. Scholastica (15-13, 9-4 UMAC) by a score line of 25-15, 30-28, 27-25. They will have a rematch with the Saints on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. with the winner earning a spot in the UMAC Championship match next Saturday.
The Cougars were all over the Saints in the first set, jumping out to a 10-3 lead. St. Scholastica would pull within four on a couple occasions but the Cougars responded by going on a 9-1 run to take a 21-9 lead. Morris would end up taking the set 25-14.
Scholastica took an early lead in the second set but could not pull away from the Cougars. A quick run gave CSS a four points lead at 18-14 but again UMM rallied back. The Cougars took a lead at 23-22 but the Saints rattled off two straight and had set point at 24-23. It was then the Cougars turn to have a two point run and had set point at 25-24. The lead didn't last for the Cougars and St. Scholastica had set point at 26-25. The two point swings continued and the Cougars had set point at 27-26 before a service error and attack error gave St. Scholastica their third set point. It was then the Cougars turn to have a set point, this time the converted, thanks to a block by
Abby Tietz and
Holly Duren.
Morris used the energy from the second set win to take an 8-4 lead early in the second set. The lead would grow to five at 13-8 midway through the set. Scholastica tried to rally, pulling within one at 17-16. The Saints never figured out a way to tie the set and Morris forced a timeout at 21-18. Again the Saints rallied, pulling within one at 22-21, forcing a UMM timeout. St. Scholastica tied it at 22 and then fought off two set points to tie it at 24. Morris finally finished it off at 27-25 earing the sweep over the Saints.
Four Cougars had at least ten kills against the Saints, they were led by Tietz' 14 in the match. Morris hit .268 offensively in the three set win. Tietz also added five block assists. Defensively the Cougars had six blocks and 57 digs.
