The Yellowjacket volleyball team hosted day one of the 2011 Stinger Classic Tournament at Mertz Mortorelli Gym on Friday, October 14. Five teams in addition to the Yellowjackets - Augsburg College, Bethel University, Finlandia University, Lakehead University and St. Catherine University are playing in this year's event.
On opening day, the Yellowjackets went 1-1, with a straight-set win over Finlandia before falling in four sets to Bethel. Bethel, along with St. Catherine sit atop the tournament standings with 2-0 records. Lakehead, along with the Yellowjackets are 1-1 while Augsburg and Finlandia are 0-2.
Yellowjackets 3, Finlandia 0
The Yellowjackets put forth arguably their most dominating performance of the 2011 season in the first match of the day against Finlandia. After falling behind early in the first set, the Yellowjackets took off, taking the lead and never looking back in their straight-set win. Set scores in the first match were 25-11, 25-15 and 25-6).
As a team, the Yellowjackets put up one of their highest attack percentages of the year at .325. Sohphomore Kitty Tynen (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) (Stillwater, Minn.) led the Yellowjackets with ten kills, followed by another sophomore, Jessica Zimmerman (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) (Monticello, Minn.) who had seven. Zimmerman had the team's highest attack percentage at .545. Freshman Keely Deadrick (Esko, Minn./Esko) (Esko, Minn.) led the Yellowjackets with 27 set assists, while junior Farrah Wirtz (Esko, Minn./Esko) (Esko, Minn.) had ten service aces, a season-high.
Everyone contributed on the defensive side of the ball, as the Yellowjackets held the Lions to just eight kills. Sami Cross (Granite Falls, Minn./Granite Falls) (Granite Falls, Minn.) had a team-best nine digs, followed by Wirtz who had six.
Bethel 3, Yellowjackets 1
In the second match the Yellowjackets actually were the better team, but unfortunately a high number of mistakes did them in as they dropped the match to Bethel by scores of 21-25, 20-25, 25-22 and 25-20.
The Yellowjackets had a higher attack percentage (.222 to .162) and more kills (58 to 47) than Bethel, but unfortunately they also had more errors on offense (19 to 12), on the serve (5 to 3) and on the block (3 to 0), giving life to the Royals who got out with the win.
Tynen again led the Yellowjackets in kills, this time coming in with 18. She was followed by Nikki Gosson (Mankato, Minn./Mankato East) (Mankato, Minn.) who had 12 and Zimmerman who had 11, as three Yellowjackets reached double figures. Deadrick had a whopping 46 assists in the match.
Defensively, Wirtz had 21 digs, followed by Erin Booth (Baldwin, Wis./Baldwin-Woodville) (Baldwin, Wis.) who had 14. Tynen (13) and Deadrick (11) also reached double figures for the Yellowjackets.
Nicole Wriedt had 17 kills for the Royals, who also got 40 assists from Kate Smith and 25 digs from Valerie Smith. Caitie Helle had 3.5 blocks for Bethel, who had nine as a team.
The Yellowjackets (12-11, 1-4 WIAC) will play Augsburg at 12:00 p.m. and St. Catherine at 2:00 p.m. in their matches on the second day of the Stinger Classic.
Be a fan on Facebook
