University of Minnesota Morris Athletics

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team was defeated 3-1 (25-23, 15-25, 25-27, 31-33) by the University of Wisconsin-Superior in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play Friday night in Superior, Wis.
 
The Yellowjackets improve to 14-6 overall and 5-1 in the conference, while the Cougars fall to 10-8 overall and 5-2 in the UMAC.
 
The Cougars earned their first point of the match after a successful challenge by head coach Joe Sussenguth. Ella Johnson recorded the first kill after being set up by Sella Fleming. Minnesota Morris matched UW-Superior's pace, with Johnson connecting on attacks. The Cougars took the lead when Braxtyn Meyer recorded her first kill to give UMM a 7-6 advantage. A 6-1 run helped the Cougars extend their lead, highlighted by kills from Natalie Wahl and Tori Scheler and blocks involving Scheler, Fleming, Wahl, and Bella Nelson. The lead grew to four at 18-14, with Nelson scoring the point that forced a UW-Superior timeout. Out of the timeout, the Yellowjackets pulled within one and later tied the set at 21-21. A block by Scheler and Johnson brought the Cougars to set point, and Johnson sealed the 25-23 victory with a kill.
 
UW-Superior scored the opening points of the second set, with Scheler recording UMM's first point with a kill. Nelson followed with a kill to help tie the set at 3-3. The teams traded points, with the Cougars taking a 7-6 lead after a Yellowjacket error. Wahl converted on an attack to put Minnesota Morris back in front four points later. The Yellowjackets pulled away with an 11-1 run and maintained their lead to take the set 25-15.
 
The Yellowjackets built an early lead in the third set, with Nelson and Scheler scoring for the Cougars. Trailing by four, Johnson began chipping away at the deficit with a kill followed by a service ace. Kills from Fleming and Nelson pulled UMM within one. The Yellowjackets committed five consecutive errors, and Johnson added a kill to put the Cougars ahead 15-11. The lead grew to six after a three-point run. UW-Superior gradually worked its way back into the set and tied the score at 23-23. The Yellowjackets scored four of the final six points to take the set 27-25.
 
After UW-Superior took the first point of the fourth set, UMM scored the next five points, highlighted by a kill from Wahl and a service ace from Fleming. A kill from Nelson and an ace from Rachel Bopp restored the four-point advantage. The Cougars scored four consecutive points, including a kill from Wahl, to extend their lead to 14-7. The Yellowjackets fought back to pull within one at 16-15 before taking an 18-17 lead. Johnson and Oliviah Lorber each recorded kills to tie the set at 18-18 and 19-19, respectively. Both teams battled down the stretch, with each having opportunities to close out the set. Johnson tallied three kills late in the set, but UW-Superior prevailed in the marathon, winning 33-31 to clinch the match.
 
Johnson led the Cougar attack with 13 kills while hitting .353. As a team, the Cougars hit .110, with their best hitting percentage coming in the third set at .145. Wahl and Nelson also recorded double-digit kills with 11 and 10, respectively. Fleming tallied 35 assists. UMM recorded five service aces, with Clara Holden leading the team with two.
 
Defensively, Fleming led the Cougars with 28 digs. Johnson and Wahl followed with 19 and 17, respectively. Holden added 16 digs, while Bopp rounded out the top five with 14. At the net, the Cougars totaled four blocks, with Scheler contributing to all four.


The Cougars return to action Saturday in a nonconference match against the College of St. Scholastica at 1 p.m.