MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team registered a second consecutive 3-0 sweep on Saturday, this time downing the University of Wisconsin-Superior by scores of 25-22, 25-17, 25-15. The win brings the Cougars back to .500 on the season at 8-8 overall and moves the team to 4-1 in UMAC play.

Outside of a competitive first set, Minnesota Morris controlled the majority of this match. UW-Superior had 16 kills in the first set, then managed a combined 11 the rest of the way. The Cougar defense limited the Yellow Jackets to a -.091 hitting percentage in the second set and a .000 hitting percentage in the third.

Minnesota Morris jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first set and led the whole way. UW-Superior fought hard to try to get back in it, but the Yellow Jackets were never within a point after the first three points of the set. At 23-21, Laura Wellbrock and Lydia Nash had two final kills to put the Cougars ahead, 1-0.

The visitors led briefly in the opening of the second set, but a litany of errors proved too much to overcome. With Minnesota Morris ahead, 11-8, the Cougars scored six straight points while recording just one kill in that stretch. Wellbrock again helped to end, smashing down a kill to make it 24-17 and then teaming with Kennedy Geller for a block to close it out.

The momentum was clearly in UMN Morris' favor with a 2-0 lead in the match and the Cougars ripped through the third set with 18 kills and a .500 hitting percentage as a team. Minnesota Morris zoomed out to a 5-1 advantage, then scored eight points out of nine after the Yellow Jackets had pulled to within 8-7. A kill from Nash gave the Cougars a match point at 24-13 and Jenna Howden closed it out two points later to complete the sweep.

Nash led the Cougars with a double-double of 13 kills and 12 digs. Wellbrock added 11 kills and Howden had nine. McKenzie Newton controlled the action with 36 assists, while Alyssa Ukestad added 12 digs from the back row.

Minnesota Morris is back in action on Oct. 8, traveling to Mankato to meet Bethany Lutheran College at 7 p.m.