ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Morris improved to 8-6 on the year with two victories on Saturday in the UMAC Preview. The day started with a 21-25, 25-18, 28-30, 25-17, 15-14 win over Martin Luther. In the next game Morris swept Wisconsin Superior 25-19, 25-23, 25-22.
 
The Knights (1-12) built up a 10-4 lead early in the first set but Morris pulled back within two with four straight points. Minnesota Morris was able to tie the set at 13 but Martin Luther rattled off three straight to take another lead. The Cougars found a way to take a lead at 19-18 but could not hold it and Martin Luther scored the last four points of the set to win 25-21.
 
In set two Morris was the one to take an early lead going up 7-4. They built the lead to as much as ten before winning 25-18.
 
It was an intense battle in the third set with the Knights coming back from six down early. The Cougars came back from a 24-20 deficit and had two set points but it was the Knights who won 30-28 after scoring three straight points.
 
In the fourth set the Cougars scored six straight points to take a 7-4 lead. Martin Luther stayed with UMM until a 7-1 run gave UMM a 21-14 lead. Morris won 25-17 in the set.
 
The Knights were up 11-6 in the decisive fifth set but Morris battled back and tied the set at 11. It was tight the rest of the way but three straight points gave the Cougars a 15-13 lead.
 
Marissa Ekness set a new career high with 27 kills in the match with Martin Luther.
 
In the first set against the Yellow Jackets (8-6), Morris went up 5-1 before UWS rallied back to pull within one at 13-12. Morris countered with six straight to go back up 18-12. The Cougars would go on to win 25-19.
 
In the second set Morris scored four straight to take a 13-10 midway through the set. The Jackets came back and took a 19-16 lead but Morris dug in to tie it back up. Superior led 22-20 but the Cougars went on 5-1 run to win 25-23.
 
It was a back and forth battle in the third set but Morris found a way to take a 14-9 lead midway through the match. The Cougars pushed their lead to ten at 22-12 but the Yellow Jackets came roaring back to pull within one at 23-22. Morris got kills from Ekness and Cori Becker to hold on for a 25-22 victory.
 
Ekness again led the team in the game with 11 kills. Cori Becker added nine and McKenzie Schaffer had 6.