MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team made quick work of North Central University on Friday night, sweeping the Rams, 3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-14), to improve to 13-4 (6-0 UMAC) on the season.

Behind a front row that produced eight blocks, Minnesota Morris held North Central to a -.079 hitting percentage for the match. The Rams could manage only two kills in each of the second and third sets and totaled 14 kills on the night. Meanwhile, the Cougars had 14 kills in the first set and had 36 in the match with a .313 team hitting percentage.

The first set was the closest one of the night, but the Cougars still breezed to a quick lead. Tied at 2-2, a kill from Maggie Jones and an ace from Mary Cate Ziembiec provided bookends on a four-point run. Minnesota Morris later scored five in a row to take a 17-10 lead and led by nine points late in the set. Despite a late push from the Rams, kills from Tori Scheler and Lydia Nash ended it to put the Cougars in front.

With Minnesota Morris holding a 5-4 lead in the second set, the Cougars scored seven in a row to take command. Scheler had the first kill in the run and later had three straight block assists. UMN Morris later added another seven-point surge that included a pair of Ziembiec aces and two kills from Jones plus a block assist to make it 23-9. A Laura Wellbrock kill and a block from Scheler and McKenzie Newton ended the 25-12 romp.

Scheler had two kills in an early four-point run for Minnesota Morris in the third set to take an 8-4 edge. Wellbrock later added two aces and a kill during a five-point spurt to increase the margin to 15-7 midway through the set. The Cougars never saw their lead dip below seven points after that as they eased to the sweep.

Wellbrock led all players in the match with nine kills, while Scheler had seven kills on just 10 attacks for a .700 hitting percentage. The trio of Jones, Nash, and Ziembiec all had five kills. Newton finished the night with 25 assists, six digs, and four block assists. Scheler led all players in the match with five block assists. Minnesota Morris also spread the wealth in the back row, with Ziembiec notching a team-high eight digs. Ava Brunn had seven and Wellbrock tacked on six more.

Minnesota Morris closes out the weekend in the Twin Cities tomorrow with a 12 p.m. match against fellow UMAC unbeaten University of Northwestern.