MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team suffered a 3-2 (25-15, 25-17, 16-25, 19-25, 10-15) loss to the College of Saint Benedict on Wednesday night at James Gremmels Court. The Cougars fall to 2-6 overall on the season with the loss, while the Bennies improve to 6-3.

The first two sets were dominated by Minnesota Morris. The Cougars scored the first two points of the match and never trailed in the first set, leading comfortably throughout. With the score 18-15, a service error from Saint Benedict gave Minnesota Morris the serve at 19-15 and three attack errors from the Bennies plus kills from Anna Molstad, Kennedy Geller, and Laura Wellbrock ended the set with seven straight Cougar points.

The second set played out similarly as Minnesota Morris turned an identical 18-15 advantage into a 23-15 lead. Kills in the rally came from Molstad and McKenzie Newton, while Sydney Eckhoff added an ace and Kennedy Geller was in on a pair of blocks. Newton finished the set off with another kill for a 2-0 UMN Morris lead on the night.

Momentum shifted suddenly as Saint Benedict took a 9-4 lead in the third set and forced a Minnesota Morris timeout. The Cougars twice were able to get within two points, but a passage of play in which the Bennies took seven out of eight points decided it as the visitors were able to pull a set closer.

The fourth set looked to be heading down to the wire and Minnesota Morris had a lead as late as 17-16 before Saint Benedict reeled off four straight. Trailing 21-18, Lydia Nash had a kill to bring the Cougars with two but the Bennies finished it off with the final four points of the set to even the match at 2-2.

Minnesota Morris took its lone lead of the fifth set at 4-3 on another Newton kill. Saint Benedict responded with three straight points and never looked back. Kills from Molstad and Nash late in the set made it 13-10 and brought some hope to the Cougar faithful before Saint Benedict notched the final two points to end it.

Maggie Jones finished with a team-high14 kills on the night, while Molstad added 13. Jones also led the defensive effort with two solo blocks and four block assists. Newton ended her night with six kills and seven digs to go along with 41 assists. Alyssa Ukestad finished with 20 digs, while Eckhoff added 12 and Nash ended in double-figures with 11.

Minnesota Morris heads to California Lutheran University this weekend for its final three non-conference matches of the season. First up on Friday afternoon are a pair of matches against Whittier College at 2 p.m. (CDT) and Pomona-Pitzer at 5 p.m. (CDT).