MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team wasn't quite as sharp on the offensive end on Saturday as they were on Friday night, but the Cougars allowed just 18 kills from Bethany Lutheran College and the Vikings committed 17 attacking errors as UMN Morris picked up its second sweep of the weekend (25-18, 25-20, 25-14). The win improves Minnesota Morris to 7-11 (4-3 UMAC).

The Cougars took control of the first set with seven straight points to take a 16-8 lead. Alyssa Ukestad had three aces in that stretch and Lydia Nash added a pair of kills. A McKenzie Newton kill gave Minnesota Morris a set point at 24-18 and a Bethany Lutheran error finished it off. 

Trailing by four as late as 17-13 in the second set, Minnesota Morris came back to tie it at 18-18 after a series of errors from the Vikings. A block from Sydney Eckhoff and Kennedy Geller gave the Cougars a 19-18 lead and Ukestad had the final kill of the set to make it 2-0.

Following another Ukestad ace, Bethany Lutheran was forced into a timeout at 12-5 in the third set but it would make no difference. Minnesota Morris still maintained a comfortable 19-13 lead before winning six of the final seven points of the afternoon, including a kill and an ace from Mary Cate Ziembiec.

Nash finished with a match-high nine kills, while Laura Wellbrock added eight. Newton had a double-double with 25 assists and 15 digs. Ukestad and Eckhoff each finished with 10 digs apiece. 

Minnesota Morris now faces five straight UMAC matches on the road, beginning on Tuesday night with a 7 p.m. tilt in St. Bonifacius against Crown College.