MORRIS, Minn. – For the third straight season Minnesota Morris (21-11) will take aim at a NCAA Tournament berth. The Cougars are hoping a third times a charm when they battle Northwestern (25-8) in St. Paul at 7 p.m. UMM advanced to the UMAC Championship with a dominating win over Wisconsin-Superior on Wednesday night.
 
Tomorrow will be the third match of the season between Morris and Northwestern, currently the season series is tied at one. Morris won in five during the middle of September. Last week Northwestern swept the Cougars to clinch the UMAC Regular Season Title.
 
If you have followed the Cougars season you are well aware that they are nearly unbeatable if they can hit .200, and they will look to do just that tomorrow evening. It will also be very important for the Cougar defense to hold UNW in check. This season the Eagles have averaged a .234 attack percentage.
 
Surprisingly, Northwestern hit better in their loss to Minnesota Morris than in their victory. Six of the Eagles eight losses have come when the opponent holds them to under .160 offensively.
 
Northwestern advanced to the UMAC Championship by beating St. Scholastica in five sets on Wednesday night, coming back from a two set deficit. The Eagles have won five in a row and 19 of their last twenty matches.
 
Morris will rely on good passing and serve receive to set their offense up for success against Northwestern. The Cougars back row players of Katie Reitsma and Bekah Morris will be called upon to give Brooke Decker options with good passing. The better passes Decker gets the more likely she can find hitters Abby Tietz, Cori Becker, Marissa Ekness, Leah Ruter and Alyssa Houselog in a good rhythm. Tietz and Ekness will also help themselves out if they are active in serve receive.