MANKATO, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team remained undefeated in UMAC play on Friday night with a 3-1 (25-16, 25-21, 20-25, 27-25) victory over Bethany Lutheran College. The win is the fourth in a row for the Cougars to open UMAC play and improves the team to 11-4 (4-0 UMAC) on the year.

After Bethany Lutheran scored the opening point of the match, Minnesota Morris claimed the next six to take command of the first set. The Vikings would get no closer than four points the rest of the way and Anna Molstad and Tori Scheler combined to account for the final four Cougar points in a 25-16 romp.

Though Minnesota Morris fell behind early in the second set, the team put together a pair of five-point runs to roar back into the lead. The second of the two put the Cougars ahead, 21-17, and Scheler submitted the final two kills of the set to give Minnesota Morris a 2-0 lead on the night.

Bethany Lutheran was able to extend the match by winning the third set. The Vikings took advantage of eight attacking errors from Minnesota Morris in the set while also managing to put together their best offensive display with a team hitting percentage of .258. After running out to a 4-0 lead to begin the set, BLC eventually would lead 23-13 before a late rally from the Cougars that came up just a bit short.

In a back-and-forth fourth set, Minnesota Morris came back from a quick 6-2 deficit and would lead most of the way, only to see Bethany Lutheran take a 23-21 advantage. A kill and an ace from Mary Cate Ziembiec tied things up at 23-23, but the next point went to the Vikings to give them a set point. Consecutive Laura Wellbrock kills put the Cougars on top, 25-24, before BLC knotted the score at 25-25. With momentum threatening to fully swing to the home side, back-to-back errors from Riley Sammon – the second one on a solo block from Scheler – gave Minnesota Morris the set and the match. 

Maggie Jones finished with a team-high 14 kills while also recording a solo block and two block assists. Molstad reached double-figures in kills with 11, while Scheler had nine and a .471 hitting percentage. McKenzie Newton pulled the strings offensively for the Cougars with 42 assists, eight digs, and five kills on just nine attacks. Ava Brunn led UMN Morris with 16 digs on the night.

UMAC play continues tomorrow morning in New Ulm as Minnesota Morris battles Martin Luther College at 11 a.m.