Yellowjackets 3, Northland 0
The Yellowjacket volleyball team got the 2011 season off to a great start, blanking Northland College 3-0 in a dominating performance in their first match at the "2011 Alverno Classic," hosted by Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis.
The Lumberjills gave the Yellowjackets everything they could handle and then some in the first set, but the Yellowjackets prevailed 25-23. The second two sets provided much less drama, as the Yellowjackets took those 25-10 and 25-14 respectively to get the victory.
Sophomore Jessica Zimmerman (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) (Monticello, Minn.) led the way in the first match, putting up nine kills and 19 attacks, both team highs. Salann Gilbert (Solon Springs, Wis./Solon Springs) (Solon Springs, Wis.), Nikki Gosson (Mankato, Minn./Mankato East) (Mankato, Minn.) and Rachel Langer (Ellsworth, Wis./Ellsworth) (Ellsworth, Wis.) all had seven assists apiece. As a team, the Yellowjackets attacked at a .329 percentage. A pair of freshmen contributed in a big way as well. Keely Deadrick (Esko, Minn./Esko) (Esko, Minn.) had a team-high 23 set assists in the match, while Emily Cole (Grantsburg, Wis./Grantsburg) (Grantsburg, Wis.) had ten.
Defensively, junior transfer Farrah Wirtz (Esko, Minn./Esko) (Esko, Minn.) in the role of libero finished with nine of the team's 33 digs. Freshman Erin Booth (Baldwin, Wis./Baldwin-Woodville) (Baldwin, Wis.) contributed six digs.
Yellowjackets 3, Alverno 0
In the second match of the day, the Yellowjackets took on the host Blaze and came away with their second sweep of the day, winning in straight sets. After jumping out quickly and winning the first two sets, Alverno grabbed an early lead in the third set before the Yellowjackets rallied to pick up the victory by scores of 25-16, 25-21 and 25-18.
Gosson led the Yellowjackets in kills in the second match with ten, while Kitty Tynen (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) (Stillwater, Minn.) was right behind her with eight. The Yellowjackets had a kill percentage of .267 in the second match. Deadrick and Cole were again the assist leaders with 24 and nine respectively.
Wirtz had another strong match defensively with 17 digs, followed by Deadrick with eight and Booth with five.
The Yellowjackets (2-0, 0-0 WIAC) will play a pair of matches on Sunday, September 4 in the second day of the "2011 Alverno Classic." They will play Presentation College at 9:00 a.m. and Mount Mary College at 1:00 p.m.
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