MORRIS, Minn. –  The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team is set for a three-match road trip this week in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) play.
 
The Cougars begin the trip Tuesday night at Crown College with a 7 p.m. start. They then travel to face the University of Northwestern at 7 p.m. on Friday, followed by a Saturday afternoon match against North Central University at 1 p.m.
  
The stream can be found on the UMAC Sports Network or by clicking here. To follow the live stats of UMM at CC click here, to follow the live stats of UMM at UNW click here, and for UMM at NCU click here.
 
Minnesota Morris played just one match last week, a tough 3-2 loss to the University of Wisconsin-Superior in the UMAC Game of the Week. The Cougars started strong, winning the first two sets, but were unable to close out the match. Mary Cate Ziembiec and Ella Johnson each recorded 14 kills to lead the offense. On the defensive side, Lexi Coon tallied a team-high 25 digs, while Ziembiec added a pair of blocks.
 
In her senior season, Ziembiec leads the Cougars offensively with 175 kills (2.69 per set), ranking fourth in the UMAC. Johnson and Bella Nelson follow with 133 and 120 kills, respectively, while Anna Molstad surpassed the 100-kill mark last week, now totaling 101. Clara Holden leads the team with 378 assists, and Allison Dornseif has contributed 203.
 
The Cougars lead the UMAC in service aces with 163 (2.33 per set). Holden ranks second in the conference with 39 aces, while Braxtyn Meyer and Ziembiec are fifth and sixth with 0.44 and 0.42 aces per set, respectively.
 
Defensively, Coon leads UMM and ranks second in the UMAC with 312 digs. Ziembiec follows with 196, while Johnson and Holden have recorded 175 and 173, respectively. At the net, the Cougars have totaled 98 blocks this season, led by Tori Scheler with 41.
 
Crown is 5-12 overall and 1-5 in conference play. The Polars are currently on a three-match losing streak. Last week, they fell 3-1 at home to UW-Superior and were swept on the road by Northwestern. Head coach Celia Blattner is in her third season at the helm. Delaney Boone leads Crown with 99 kills and 39 blocks, while Jalyn Lee follows with 73 kills.
 
In the most recent American Volleyball Coach Association poll, Northwestern received votes. The Eagles have a record of 14-6 overall and lead the UMAC at 6-0 in conference play. Last week, they extended their winning streak to four matches with sweeps over Martin Luther College, Bethany Lutheran College, and Crown. Head coach Beth Wilmeth is in her 22nd season. Northwestern is led offensively by Anja Jarchow (197 kills) and Ana Egge (191 kills), while Grace Moravchik anchors the defense with a team-high 281 digs.
 
North Central comes in with a 5-10 overall record and at 0-6 in the conference. The Rams have dropped seven straight matches, including a three-set loss to Bethany Lutheran last week. Head coach Jessica Curry is in her first season. Maggie Kohl leads the team with 102 kills, followed by Gabbie Ruzek with 77. Maci Tripp has recorded 207 digs to lead the Rams defensivel