University of Minnesota Morris Athletics

MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team ended its season in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinals, falling to the University of Wisconsin-Superior 3-0 (24-26, 21-25, 22-25) Wednesday night in Morris, Minn.
 
The Cougars finish the season with a 14-11 overall record and a 9-3 mark in the UMAC.
 
The Yellowjackets started the match by scoring the first three points. Oliviah Lorber got UMM on the board with a kill set up by Sella Fleming. The Cougars tied the set at 5-5 after an ace from Natalie Wahl. UWS went on a three-point run, but the Cougars answered right back with three straight points, highlighted by a kill from Bella Nelson and an ace from Lorber. Minnesota Morris took its first lead of the set at 11-10 with a block from Wahl and Tori Scheler. A kill from Scheler pushed the lead to three. The Yellowjackets regained control by scoring six unanswered points. Late in the set, their lead was trimmed to four. Two kills from Ella Johnson brought UMM right back into the set. UWS reached set point at 24-20. The Cougars scored the next four points to tie things up, with Wahl and Scheler converting attacks and combining on a block. The Yellowjackets would take the set by scoring the next two points to win 26-24.
 
Wahl started the scoring in the second set after being set up by Fleming. Points were traded early, with Johnson and Nelson adding kills and Nelson and Scheler recording a block. Fleming put UMM on top with an ace at 11-10, but the Yellowjackets gained their biggest lead after a four-point run. A block from Wahl and Lorber ended the rally, but UWS then took the next three points. The Cougars pulled even at 20-20 after a kill from Wahl. The Yellowjackets would score five of the final six points to win the set 25-21.
 
Nelson recorded the first point of the third set with a block. The next UMM point came from a block by Lorber and Wahl. The set was even early, with Wahl and Scheler scoring on attacks. A small run by UWS started to give them some separation, but Wahl ended it with a kill. A five-to-one run by the Yellowjackets extended their lead to six. The Cougars responded with a five-point rally, cutting into the lead with points from Fleming and Wahl to trail by just two. It would not be enough, as the Yellowjackets held on to win 25-22.
 
Wahl led the attack with 14 kills. Nelson added seven kills, with Johnson and Scheler following with five apiece. As a team, UMM hit .104, with its best set coming in the third at .186. Fleming recorded 30 assists. The Cougars had four aces, with Lorber recording two.
 
Defensively, Johnson had a team-high 22 digs. Four other Cougars reached double figures: Rachel Bopp (16), Wahl (14), Clara Holden (13), and Fleming (12). UMM recorded six blocks, with Wahl tallying four.