University of Minnesota Morris Athletics

MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team secured the No. 2 seed in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament after defeating the University of Wisconsin-Superior, 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-14, 25-17), Saturday afternoon in Morris, Minn.
 
The Cougars improve to 14-10 overall and 9-3 in the UMAC, while the Yellowjackets fall to 18-9 overall and 9-3 in conference play.
 
Before the match, Tori Scheler was honored during Senior Day festivities.
 
The Cougars started the scoring with a kill from Sella Fleming, followed by one from Oliviah Lorber. The Yellowjackets took an early lead, but kills from Bella Nelson, Natalie Wahl and Ella Johnson, along with a block by Wahl and Scheler, swung the lead back to UMM at 8-7. The match was tied at 10-10 after Wahl scored back-to-back points. A 7-1 run by UW-Superior gave the Yellowjackets some separation. The Cougars cut the lead to three after two more kills from Wahl. Minnesota Morris got within one at 23-22 after a pair of UW-Superior errors, but the Yellowjackets closed out the set with a 25-23 win.
 
After dropping the first point of the second set, the Cougars scored the next three, with kills from Lorber and Nelson. Kills from Wahl and Nelson, along with an ace from Lorber, extended the advantage to four. The next eight points were traded, with Fleming and Scheler scoring for UMM. An 8-1 run by UW-Superior gave the Yellowjackets a three-point edge. Lorber ended the run with a kill set up by Fleming. Lorber then kicked off a six-point Cougar run highlighted by kills from Johnson and three consecutive aces from Nelson, putting UMM on top 19-16. UW-Superior closed the gap by scoring the next three points. Minnesota Morris reached set point with five consecutive points, including kills from Scheler and Wahl and two aces from Johnson. The Cougars took the second set, 25-21.
 
UW-Superior started the third set with a 3-1 lead. A block by Lorber and Johnson tied the set, and Wahl followed with a kill to give UMM the lead. The advantage continued to grow with kills from Lorber, Nelson and Johnson, along with another block from Lorber and Johnson, bringing the score to 9-3. Johnson and Nelson converted on attacks to keep the lead at six. The Cougars then scored four consecutive points on kills, two from Nelson and one each from Lorber and Johnson, pushing the lead to 10. Lorber, Nelson and Johnson continued to connect, extending the advantage late in the set. Scheler capped off the set with a kill as UMM won 25-14.
 
The first six points of the fourth set were traded back and forth, with Wahl and Nelson adding kills. Minnesota Morris took its first lead of the set on a block by Scheler and Nelson. Johnson and Scheler added kills to keep the Cougars in front. Wahl connected on an attack to start a six-point rally, with Lorber, Wahl and Nelson adding kills, Fleming scoring on a serve, and Nelson and Lorber combining for a block. The lead grew to eight after an ace from Wahl. Lorber scored the final two points for UMM, securing the 25-17 set win and the match.
 
Wahl led the attack with 14 kills. Lorber followed with a career-high 13 kills while hitting .400. Nelson and Johnson also reached double figures with 12 and 10 kills, respectively. As a team, the Cougars hit .268, with their best set coming in the fourth at .393. Fleming recorded a career-high 46 assists. UMM had eight service aces, with Nelson adding three.
 
Defensively, Wahl and Rachel Bopp led the team with 18 digs each. Johnson followed with 16, while Fleming and Clara Holden also reached double figures with 13 and 11 digs, respectively. UMM recorded nine blocks, with Lorber leading the team with five.
 
The Cougars will host the UMAC Semifinals on Wednesday as they face UW-Superior.