MORRIS, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Morris Volleyball team battled against the Bethany Lutheran Vikings in their first home conference match of the season. The Cougars came out on top, taking sets 1, 2, and 4 to secure the victory. 

The Cougars opened the scoring in the first set of the match due to an attack error from the Vikings and a kill from Madeline Monaco. The next few points were back and forth, before a four-point run put Bethany Lutheran up 9-5. Minnesota Morris fought to take back the lead and a run led by kills from Tori and Scheler and Anna Molstad did just that. Up 18-16, the Cougars maintained their lead. A kill from Lacie O'Leary solidified the 25-22 win for Minnesota Morris in the first set.

Mary Cate Ziembiec opened the scoring in the second set, laying down a kill that Bethany Lutheran could not return. Both teams fought for the lead from the first serve, fighting to take the lead over the other. With the Cougars up 18-16, the Knights put together a five-point run to take a 21-19 lead. The Cougars were able to tie the match up at 23-23 thanks to a solid kill from Laura Wellbrock. Kills from O'Leary and Scheler gave the Cougars the 25-24 lead, until Bethany Lutheran responded with two points to take back the lead at 26-25. Minnesota Morris earned the last three points of the set, finalizing set two with a score of 28-26 in favor of the Cougars. 

The scoring to open the third set went back-and-forth as both teams campaigned for points. Bethany Lutheran took the first significant lead of the set, pulling away at 10-7. An impressive offensive effort at the net from Wellbrock, assisted by Sydney Petersen and Allison Dornseif, brought the Cougars back within striking distance at 14-15. The Knights responded with a five-point to widen the scoring gap. Kills from Molstad and Ziembiec were not enough to answer Bethany Lutheran, and the Cougars fell 21-25.

The Cougars took an early lead in the fourth set, getting up 10-5 on the Knights due to a combination of kills from Scheler and service aces by Wellbrock. Bethany Lutheran fought their way back into the set, challenging Minnesota Morris to maintain the lead. Molstad, assisted by Dornseif, led the Cougar offense in the back end of the set, scoring two of the clutch points to assist Minnesota Morris. Petersen assisted Ziembiec on a kill that wrapped up the set 25-23 for the Cougars. 

Wellbrock led the Cougars in kills (15), aces (3), and digs (18). Melanie Monaco also recorded three aces on the day. Molstad and Scheler each made two blocks for Minnesota Morris.