ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team (4-7) tallied a pair of five-set victories at the Bethel Tournament Saturday afternoon. The Cougars defeated UW-Stout (9-3) (22-25, 16-25, 25-18, 25-23, 15-12) before topping Bethel (5-4) (21-25, 25-19, 25-14, 21-25, 15-9).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. UW-STOUT – UMN Morris, 3-2

• With the scored tied at 15 points apiece, the Blue Devils went on a 5-0 run and held off the Cougars late to secure the 25-22 victory in set one.
   
• Leading 20-16 in set two, UW-Stout went on a 5-0 run to tally the 25-16 win.
   
• Set three saw the Cougars down 9-3 early, but UMN Morris went on a 8-0 run to take the 11-9 lead. In the end, UMN Morris captured a 25-18 win.
   
• The Cougars trailed late in the fourth set, 22-18, and used a 7-1 run to tie the match at two sets apiece with a 25-23 victory.
   
• The two teams battled back and forth in the fifth set, but the Cougars ended up outlasting the Blue Devils, 15-12.

NOTABLES

• Morgan Miller led the Cougars with 16 kills.
   
• Layne Herrmann recorded 41 assists, 10 digs, six kills and three aces.
   
• Freshman Kennedy Geller led both teams in blocks with nine.
   
• Brenna Tinjum tallied a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs.
   
• Alyssa Ukestad led the Cougars with 21 digs.
   
• The Cougars out-blocked the Blue Devils, 15-6.
   

  ---

 HOW IT HAPPENED VS. BETHEL – UMN Morris, 3-2

• The Cougars used a 4-0 run in the first set to bring the score within 21-20, but Bethel countered with a 4-1 run of its own to tally a 25-21 victory.
   
• UMN Morris recorded a 6-0 run to build a 22-15 lead over the Royals in set two. Despite a late run from Bethel, the Cougars held off the Royals, 25-19.
   
• The Cougars built a 14-9 lead over the Royals in set three and never looked back en route to a 25-14 victory.
   
• The Royals tied the match at two sets apiece with a 25-21 win in set four.
   
• Set five saw the Cougars jump out to a 6-0 lead and then went on to take the match with a 15-9 win.

NOTABLES

• Tori Everson paced the Cougars with a career-best 22 kills.
   
• Freshman Kennedy Geller led both teams in blocks with seven.
   
• Layne Herrmann tied a season-best 54 assists and had 15 digs.
   
• Morgan Miller recorded 13 kills and four blocks.
   
• Brenna Tinjum and Alyssa Ukestad both recorded 22 digs to lead the Cougars.
   
• Tinjum also had 12 kills for a double-double.

UP NEXT
The Cougars head to Gustavus on Tuesday, Sept. 17. in St. Peter, Minnesota. The match begins at 7 p.m.