ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Morris (6-6) was able to put a sweep to St. Scholastica (8-5) behind them to beat Northwestern (6-7) in five sets on Friday night. Brooke Decker set a new career high with 54 assists in the Cougars win over UNW.
 
Morris was held to just .097 hitting against the Saints, losing in three sets 25-23, 25-17, 25-11. Abby Tietz had good match for the Cougars, leading the team with a .292 attack percentage and tallied nine kills. Katie Reitsma had 19 digs; nearly half of the team digs in the loss.
 
The Cougars battled back from a 19-14 deficit in the first set to pull within one at 19-18. Morris was finally able to tie it up at 23 but could not get over the hump and the Saints scored two straight after calling a timeout. UMM fell behind in the second set and trailed by six at 14-8. Momentarily the Cougars recovered, pulling to within two at 15-13 but it would not last. St. Scholastica finished off the set by going on a 10-4 run. The Saints put the pedal to floor in the third game pulling away from the Cougars with a 17-5 run.
 
In the nightcap against Northwestern, Morris came out with some fire and battled with the reigning UMAC Champions from the start. The Eagles rallied to force a fifth set but Morris would win by a 25-22, 25-18, 16-25, 22-25, 15-13.
 
The Cougars got some breathing room by scoring four straight to take a 14-10 lead in the first set. Northwestern pulled within two at 20-18 but Morris held on and picked up the 25-22 win. UMM again pulled away midway through in set two, going on a 6-2 run to go up 20-16 and won 25-18. The Eagles started their comeback in the third set jumping on the Cougars early to go up 15-8 and held on for a 25-16 win. Set four was closer but the Eagles built up a six point lead at 16-10. Morris rallied to get as close as two at 22-20 but fell 25-22 in the end.

Minnesota Morris went to a fifth game for the third time this year looking for their first victory in the race to fifteen. Cori Becker had a kill to put UMM up 8-6 at the midway point of the set. Northwestern tied the set at nine and again at 11 but could not take the lead. Tietz put the Cougars in the lead for good with a kill putting UMM up 12-11. The Eagled pulled to within one at 14-13 but Marissa Ekness' 20 kill of the night gave the Cougars the win.
 
Tietz finished the match 19 kills. Becker and McKenzie Schaffer each had ten kills on the night. Reitsma again tied her career high with 27 digs. It is the fourth time this year she has finished a match with 27 digs. Decker had 18 digs to go with her career high 54 assists.
 
Morris will battle Martin Luther and Wisconsin-Superior tomorrow starting with the Knights at 11 a.m.