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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Stephanie Bandelin
Jade Jensen

Volleyball Jarrod Peterson

Yellowjackets Face Tough Teams in Colorado

Stephanie Bandelin had double-digit kills in three of four matches this weekend in Colorado.
Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4

Most people take a vacation to relax and get away from all the hustle and bustle that goes on during daily life. For the Yellowjacket volleyball team, their getaway took them to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and it was just as much a business trip as a vacation. After this weekend, however, the Yellowjackets might need an actual vacation because this one didn't provide remedy for their recent struggles, and they are still looking for a way to put a stop to a recent losing streak.

The Yellowjackets faced some stiff competition this weekend at the Pikes Peak Challenge. Their Friday opponents, Nebraska Wesleyan University came into the tournament ranked 22nd and host team Colorado College was ranked 11th, per NCAA.com Top 25 Rankings. Saturday's first opponent, Christopher Newport University, was ranked ninth in the country. With that, the Yellowjackets would need to bring their A-game.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan 3, Superior 0
 
Friday night didn't get off to a good start for the Yellowjackets, as they lost in three sets to Nebraska Wesleyan. However, the Yellowjackets hung with one of the nation's best in the first set. Even though the Yellowjackets dug themselves a hole, getting down by as many as six points (13-7), (15-9), and (17-11), they showed some fight and battled back from the deficit. They scored three points in a row to cut the lead to 17-14. After giving up three of the next four points to fall behind 20-15, Stephanie Bandelin (Esko, Minn./Esko) and Vicki Vinokur (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) recorded three kills in a row (two for Bandelin and one for Vinokur) to get back to 20-18. After giving up another point, the Yellowjackets scored two more points to get within one at 21-20. Unfortunately, the two teams traded points from there on out, and Nebraska Wesleyan went on to win the set 25-23.

In the second set, Nebraska Wesleyan turned up the heat, and Superior couldn't get out of the kitchen in time. The Prairie Wolf had runs of six points, five points, four points, and ended the set on a 7-1 run to win the second set 25-9.

With their backs against the wall entering the third set, Superior showed they still had some punch left in them. But, like an exhausted boxer, their punches weren't enough to last another round. They fell behind 4-0 right away. Nebraska Wesleyan extended the lead to 9-3, and put it in cruise control the rest of the way. Superior cut the lead to 15-11, and then 19-15, but couldn't get any closer as they lost the set, 25-18 and the match 3-0.

Bandelin looked good in the match as she recorded 15 kills, a match-high. Keely Deadrick (Esko, Minn./Esko) keeps inching closer to the all-time assist record, as she had 28 in the match. Mackenzie Dahlin (Kaukauna, Wis./Kaukauna), Chelsey Walerius (New Prague, Minn./Tri-City United) and Bandelin each had double-digit digs (14, 11, and 10, respectively).

Nebraska Wesleyan had a balanced attack with three players recording double-digit digs and four players recording between five and 12 kills. Nebraska Wesleyan made 11 errors to Superior's 24 throughout the match.
 
Colorado College 3, Superior 0
 
Colorado College came into the match with a record of 17-3, and they played like a team that had only dropped three matches on the year. Being the host team, they came out of the gates looking fresh against a weary Superior squad. Superior hung with them in the first set until the score reached 12-6. Then, just like Nebraska Wesleyan did, Colorado College turned up the heat. The Tigers recorded six points in a row and didn't look back after that, winning the first set, 25-9.

In the second set the Yellowjackets battled hard against one of the nation's best teams, and the result was a complete 180. Despite falling behind 7-1, Superior picked away at the deficit, getting to within 8-7 on a Colorado College attack error by Keli Sherwood. The Tigers would score the next point to make it 9-7, then the Yellowjackets attacked. Six straight points, capped by a kill from Bandelin got the Yellowjackets hyped, and in the lead. They were up 13-10, and they weren't done yet. Bandelin would record another kill later in the match to put the Yellowjackets up 18-12 - a six point lead over the 11th ranked team in the country. The Yellowjackets were two points away from taking the set, leading 23-21, but Colorado College proved its ranking was no fluke. The Tigers scored four points in a row to steal the set from the Yellowjackets, 25-23.

The second set was deflating, both physically and emotionally for the Yellowjackets.

In the third set, with the score 11-7 in favor of the hosts, Colorado College strung seven straight points together and ended the match on a 7-1 run to win the set, 25-10, and the match, 3-0.

Deadrick had 22 assists and Bandelin again led the Yellowjackets, finishing the match with seven kills. The Yellowjackets as a team finished with 25 kills, compared to 53 for Colorado College. Abbe Holtze led the Tigers with 18 kills and 18 digs. Rebecca Watson had 29 assists.

Christopher Newport 3, Superior 2

On Saturday, the Yellowjackets faced their highest-ranked opponent in Christopher Newport University, and in turn, they played some of their best volleyball of the season, beginning with a first set where they started hot.

With the scored tied at 12, Superior put home four straight points, leading to CNU timeout. Superior would push the lead to 19-14, but CNU made a comeback. They scored five straight points, leading to a Superior timeout. The Yellowjackets regrouped and scored six of the next seven points to take the first set, rather convincingly, 25-20.

After getting on the board by winning the first set, Superior knew CNU would fire up the big guns for the rest of the match, but Superior was equal to the task. CNU jumped out to 10-7 lead in the second set only to see it dissipate and transform into 12-10 lead for Superior. The Yellowjackets would relinquish the lead at 15-14. Superior got down 19-17 before Head Coach Lynne Deadrick decided it was time for a timeout. It did her and the team well, as Superior evened the score at 19. Superior would last even the score at 22, before surrendering the final three points to lose the set 25-22, evening the match.

The third set got off to a fast start, with the two teams literally trading points until CNU scored three in a row after being down 13-12. Superior got down 22-16 before they got their act together and made a late push to get back in the match. Four points in a row would help them do just that, as they got to within two at 22-20. However, the six point lead proved to be just a little too much to overcome, and the Yellowjackets would lose the set 25-23, and would now be down 2-1 in the match.

But just because they lost the last two sets didn't mean they were out of the match just yet. Superior came out with guns blazing in the fourth set. Down 11-10, Superior went on a huge run, scoring eight of nine points to open an 18-12 lead on one of the best teams in the country. Superior would make their lead seven, 22-15, leading CNU to call their second timeout of the match. After that, Superior had to hang on for dear life if they wanted to have a chance in the fifth set. CNU rallied, going on two four-point runs, but Vinokur slammed the door shut with a big kill to win the set, 25-23, and send it to a fifth set.

Superior dug itself a deep whole in the opening of the fifth set. They got down 10-3, and from there, it was smooth going for CNU. They cruised to a fifth set victory, 15-5, and a match victory of 3-2. But Superior definitely showed they can play at a pretty high level with the one of the nation's best teams.

The two teams combined for 112 kills and 115 digs in the match. Offensively, the Yellowjackets were led by a host of players. In the kill departmen Bandelin and Leah Nightingale (Dayton, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) each had 17, and Vinokur had nine. Deadrick had 45 assists. Defensively, Walerius recorded 23 digs and Bandelin added 14.

CNU was paced by three players, Maddie McCann (16 kills), Briana Sutton (15 kills) and Eliza Fisher (14 kills).

UC-Santa Cruz 3, Superior 0

After a tough, grueling match to start the day, the Yellowjackets had little time to rest for their second tilt. And unfortunately, it seemed that the lack of rest took a toll on the Yellowjackets following the tough five-setter.

In the opening set UC-Santa Cruz jumped out to an 8-3 lead. The Yellowjackets battled back to get to within one point at 13-12. The Banana Slugs wouldn't let them get any closer, however as they went on a bunch of mini-runs to outlast the Yellowjackets in the first set, 25-18.

The second set was closer, despite UC-Santa Cruz jumping out to a 3-0 lead to get it started. The two teams played the match back-and-forth until Santa Cruz went on a 5-0 run to open up a seven-point lead, 21-14. Superior scored four of the next five points to pull within four at 22-18. Santa Cruz was just too far ahead, though, and the Banana Slugs went on to win the second set, 25-20.

Superior didn't go down easily in the third set, playing Santa Cruz tough all the way. Despite another early deficit, 11-6, Superior scratched and clawed its way back to 18-16 late in the match. And despite being down 23-17 in the waning stages of the match, Superior put together a 5-0 run to get within one at 23-22. Unfortunately, Santa Cruz scored the next two points to win the set 25-22, and the match, 3-0.

Bandelin paced the Yellowjackets with 12 kills and Deadrick had 30 assists. Walerius had 16 digs and sophomore Katie Boone (Mindoro, Wis./Melrose-Mindoro) had 10 digs.

Santa Cruz was paced by two players who each recorded 11 kills. They also had two players record 10 digs.

All-Tournament Team: Keely Deadrick (Esko, Minn./Esko) was the lone Yellowjacket representative on the Pikes Peak Challenge All-Tournament Team.

With the losses this weekend, the Yellowjackets dropped to 7-17 on the season overall, and their losing streak has extended to seven matches. The Yellowjackets will return to Superior on Sunday and will have five days to get ready for their next , where they will try to get back in the win column against UW-La Crosse Friday, October 10. The match, which is at La Crosse, is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
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Players Mentioned

Katie Boone

#6 Katie Boone

DS/S
5' 6"
Sophomore
Keely Deadrick

#1 Keely Deadrick

S
5' 10"
Senior
Vicki Vinokur

#24 Vicki Vinokur

OH/RS
6' 0"
Senior
Chelsey Walerius

#3 Chelsey Walerius

DS
5' 1"
Sophomore
Mackenzie Dahlin

#8 Mackenzie Dahlin

RSH/S
5' 6"
Freshman
Stephanie Bandelin

#16 Stephanie Bandelin

OH/MH
6' 0"
Junior
Leah Nightingale

#22 Leah Nightingale

OH
5' 9"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Katie Boone

#6 Katie Boone

5' 6"
Sophomore
DS/S
Keely Deadrick

#1 Keely Deadrick

5' 10"
Senior
S
Vicki Vinokur

#24 Vicki Vinokur

6' 0"
Senior
OH/RS
Chelsey Walerius

#3 Chelsey Walerius

5' 1"
Sophomore
DS
Mackenzie Dahlin

#8 Mackenzie Dahlin

5' 6"
Freshman
RSH/S
Stephanie Bandelin

#16 Stephanie Bandelin

6' 0"
Junior
OH/MH
Leah Nightingale

#22 Leah Nightingale

5' 9"
Freshman
OH