MORRIS, Minn.: It's a three-horse race for the 2018 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Championship. Last Wednesday the Yellowjackets made a statement, as they swept Northwestern at home to move into a tie for first place in the U.M.A.C. Saturday they had a chance to solidify their position and keep pace with the conference-favorite Eagles, but it wasn't going to be an easy test, as they took on Minnesota Morris.

Saturday afternoon the Cougars served notice to the two teams above them in the standings, taking down the Yellowjackets in four sets and keeping the pressure on as three teams battle for a home playoff berth.

Minnesota Morris 3, Yellowjackets 1

Saturday's tilt between the Yellowjackets and Cougars was the U.M.A.C. Game of the Week and it lived up to the billing, as the squads battled back and forth for four sets.

In the opening frame things were tight until the Yellowjackets built a small cushion at 7-4. The Yellowjackets would stretch that lead to five points but the Cougars battled their way back and eventually tied the set, 16-16. Morris would build a two-point lead of its own, but the Yellowjackets answered. Morris was the first team to reach set point, but the Yellowjackets took two in a row on consecutive kills from Brylee Colligan (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) and Emily VerWay (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) to tie it. Later, with the score tied 27-27 the Cougars took back-to-back points to win the set.

The Yellowjackets came out firing in the second set and took a 4-1 lead. They would lead by as many as five, but like the first set the Cougars came back. They tied the score at 12-12 and then grabbed their first lead of the set at 16-15. The Yellowjackets would regain the lead, but Morris would answer and win seven straight points to put the set out of reach. Morris would move ahead in the match 2-0 after taking the second set 25-19.

With their backs against the wall the Yellowjackets again came out hot in the third set. They took the lead early and never trailed. The set wasn't without its drama, however. The Yellowjackets opened up a 18-11 lead, only to see Morris come back. The Cougars took four straight points to close the gap, but it was too little, too late. The Yellowjackets would cruise the rest of the way to take the set 25-20.

Morris came out strong in the fourth set and built a big lead early. The Yellowjackets enjoyed  run in the middle of the set and pulled back to within one, 14-13. Later they would tie it up and a Morris attack error would put the Yellowjackets ahead 17-16. With the score then tied 20-20, the Cougars smelled blood and finished off the set, taking five of the last eight points to win the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.

Cami Sletta (Willmar, Minn./Willmar), in what was essentially a homecoming, had a big match with 21 kills. Taylor Howe (Webster, Wis./Webster) added 16. VerWay had 51 assists, marking the sixth time this season she went over 50 assists. On defense Karlie Leif (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) and Doranna Blascyk (Hoffman, Minn./West Central Area) were outstanding, finishing with 16 and 14 digs, respectively.

Augsburg 3, Yellowjackets 1

It was a quick turnaround, as the 'Jackets went right back on the court for a non-conference match with Augsburg, unfortunately the second match ended the same as the first.

Things looked promising early, however. The Yellowjackets took the first five points of the second set to build the early lead, only to see the Auggies go on a run and eventually pull ahead. The Yellowjackets came back from three points down to tie things at 16-16. From there the teams traded points until the 'Jackets again moved up by three, 23-20. Taylor Howe (Webster, Wis./Webster) had the kill to get the Yellowjackets to match point and a few points later Hannah Goggleye (Calumet, Minn./Greenway) ended it with a kill. The Yellowjackets took the set 25-23 and were up 1-0.

That's as good as it would get for the Yellowjackets, however, as the Auggies would take the next three sets.

Play was tight early in the second. Augsburg built a five-point lead, but the Yellowjackets fought back and closed the gap. Late in the set the Auggies won six of seven points to blow it open. Augsburg would hold the Yellowjackets off and cruise to a 25-17 set win to even the match.

Momentum stayed on the side of the Auggies in the third, as they took six of the first seven points. Their lead hit double digits at 15-5 and reached as many as 12 points before the Yellowjackets made a move, winning six straight points. They would get to within five but no closer and the Auggies took the set 25-19 to lead the match 2-1.

Augsburg again took an early lead in the fourth set, going up by five at 11-6. The Yellowjackets came back, though, and tied the match at 11-11. The Auggies would break a 12-12 tie and never trail again, blowing the set open, taking six of seven points late to lead 22-15. The Yellowjackets would close the gap to four, but Augsburg would answer and win the last three points to take the set 25-18 and the match 3-1.

Howe had another big match for the Yellowjackets, leading the way with 17 kills. Sletta also hit double digits, finishing the match with 10. VerWay had 42 assists to go with eight digs. Leif led the Yellowjackets defensively with 13 digs.

Up Next: The Yellowjackets (19-11, 12-2 U.M.A.C.) will host Northland Wednesday. The match will get underway at 7:00 p.m. at The Mertz.