MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team (2-5) dropped its home opener to Bethel (4-2) in five sets (25-20, 23-25, 22-25, 25-23, 16-14) Tuesday night at the Cougar Sports Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The two teams battled early and often, but the Royals used a four-point run to take a 18-14 lead and didn't look back en route to a 25-20 victory.

• The Cougars responded with a 25-23 win in set two as UMN Morris broke a 23-23 tie and scored the final two points of the second stanza to tie the match at 1-1.

• Similar to set two, the Cougars were able to hold off the Royals late as UMN Morris scored three of the final four points to tally a 25-22 victory in set three.

• With the score tied at 23-23 in the fourth set, a kill from Bethel and then a UMN Morris attack error gave the Royals a 25-23 victory to tie the match at two sets apiece.

• The Cougars held a 13-9 lead in the fifth set, but a 5-0 run gave the Royals a 14-13 lead. A kill from Kennedy Geller tied things up at 14-all, but a Bethel kill and a UMN Morris attack error gave Bethel a 16-14 win in set five.

NOTABLES

• Brenna Tinjum tied her career-best in kills with 17, and also recorded 10 digs.

• Layne Herrmann turned in another 50-assist outing as she had a season-high 54 assists. She also tallied a game-high 13 digs.

• Each team recorded four aces on the night.

UP NEXT
The Cougars head to St. Paul, Minnesota, for the Bethel Tournament. UMN Morris will play UW-Stevens Point and St. Norbert on Friday, Sept. 13, at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.