MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team succumbed to the University of Northwestern in three sets on Thursday, falling to the Eagles by scores of 25-23, 25-20, 25-21. The win clinched the UMAC regular season title for the Eagles and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming UMAC Tournament. With the loss, the Cougars fall to 4-3 (4-2 UMAC) and will know their placement in the UMAC Tournament following the final day of the regular season on Saturday.

Minnesota Morris got off to a good start in the first set and had forced Northwestern into an early timeout, leading by as many as five at 12-7. From there, the Eagles stormed back with nine points in a row. The Cougars stayed with it and were able to knot the score back up twice, 22-22 and 23-23, before Northwestern closed it out with a kill and an ace.

The second set featured both teams scoring in short bursts throughout, but Northwestern had the final one to put them over the top. Trailing 7-2, Minnesota Morris had three kills from Tori Everson in a stretch that saw the Cougars come back to lead, 10-9. Down by a score of 22-17, UMN Morris had kills from Kennedy Geller and Maggie Jones, plus an attack error from Northwestern to get within two at 22-20. Following a UNW timeout, the Eagles recovered to score the final three points and take a 2-0 lead.

In the third set, timeouts played a pivotal role. Northwestern took a lead in the early going and expanded it to 18-13, forcing a timeout from the Cougars. Out of the break in the action, Minnesota Morris scored four straight and had Northwestern asking for a timeout. That stoppage in play allowed the Eagles to regroup and score five straight, taking a 23-17 edge and forcing yet another timeout from UMN Morris. Out of that timeout, the Cougars reeled off four in a row to close to within two, 23-21. After the Eagles used their final timeout of the set, they were able to close out the match on a kill and an ace.

Everson tallied a match-high 14 kills on the night with a .375 hitting percentage. Mia Frick added seven kills and Jones had six. McKenzie Newton put up a double-double with 30 assists and 11 digs. Alyssa Ukestad had 14 digs on the night from her libero position.

The Cougars hit the road Saturday for a pair of matches. First up is a 12 p.m. meeting with the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth. Following that, Minnesota Morris will continue on to Ashland, Wis. to meet Northland College at 5 p.m.