MANKATO, Minn.: The Yellowjacket volleyball team split a pair of matches on the road Saturday, sweeping a conference tilt against Bethany Lutheran and then dropping a five-setter, their third match this week to go the distance, in non-conference play to St. Olaf.

Yellowjackets 3, Bethany Lutheran 0

The Yellowjackets are enjoying a strong season in U.M.A.C., finding themselves in the hunt for the conference title. Entering play Saturday the Yellowjackets were 9-1 in league play, sitting a game out of first place. All conference matches are of utmost importance. Saturday's first match on the road at Bethany Lutheran offered the Yellowjackets the chance to grab their 10th win in conference play and keep pace with first-place Northwestern.

The Yellowjackets did their part, taking care of business in a three-set sweep of the Vikings by scores of 25-17, 25-15, 25-16.

Early in the first set the Yellowjackets fell behind but clawed their way back to draw even at 8-8. A kill by Hannah Goggleye (Calumet, Minn./Greenway) gave the Yellowjackets the lead briefly, but the Vikings came back to even. A Taylor Howe (Webster, Wis./Webster) kill broke a 16-16 tie and sent the Yellowjackets on a tear, as they won nine of the final ten points to take the first set.

The Yellowjackets never trailed in the second set and opened up a double digit lead with a Bethany Lutheran attack error made it 16-6. The teams traded points the rest of the way and theYellowjackets took the last two, one on a kill from Emily VerWay (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) and another on a Vikings attack error to close out the second set and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.

It was more of the same in the third set as the Yellowjackets built a big lead early, winning eight of the first nine points. The Vikings worked their way back to within six points at 15-9, but consecutive Cami Sletta (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) kills gave the Yellowjackets the momentum back. The Yellowjackets used a Vikings attack error to get to match point, and two points later used another error to close out the set and the match.

Brylee Colligan (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji), who has enjoyed a big week on both offense and defense, led the Yellowjackets with 14 kills. She attacked at a .480 clip. On defense Colligan contributed 13 digs. VerWay had 31 assists and 15 digs, tying her for the team lead with Karlie Leif (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji).

St. Olaf 3, Yellowjackets 2

With the conference win out of the way the Yellowjackets turned their focus to St. Olaf in non-conference play. And early on it looked like the Yellowjackets would sweep their way through the second match, as well. Unfortunately, the ran out of gas and after taking the first two sets dropped three straight, giving the Oles the win in the match that went the distance. It was the third time this week, and seventh time this year the Yellowjackets played a five-set match.

In the opening frame it was back-and-forth early with seven lead changes in the first 28 points. The Oles pulled away and moved ahead 19-15 before the Yellowjackets called a timeout. The Oles came out of the break and took the first two points to go up six, but the Yellowjackets found their footing and came back. An Ashlee Bayer (Cameron, Wis./Cameron) kill got the Yellowjackets the ball back and a Howe kill closed the gap to four. Bayer then served consecutive aces to pull the Yellowjackets to within two. Later on, three straight St. Olaf errors gave the Yellowjackets a 23-22 lead. Howe had back-to-back kills to end it, giving the Yellowjackets a 25-23 win in the first set.

The Yellowjackets trailed the second set early, losing seven of the first nine points. They would get on a roll and come all the way back, tying the set at 11-11. A St. Olaf attack error would break that tie and the Yellowjackets would take it from there. They would hold a 21-18 lead when kills from Bayer, Howe, VerWay, and Bayer again closed out the set, giving the Yellowjackets a 2-0 lead.

The teams would trade points early in the third set before St. Olaf broke a 6-6 tie. They would go on a significant run and pushed the lead to double digits, 20-10. The teams would swap points the rest of the way and the Oles got on the board, taking the third set 25-15.

Momentum would stay with St. Olaf in the fourth set, as it jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead. The Yellowjackets came back and took a 7-6 lead, but St. Olaf quickly took it back. The Yellowjackets again moved ahead 12-11, but again the Oles took the lead back. The Yellowajckets were within two when the Oles won five straight points to lead 21-15. They wouldn't get any closer and the Oles tied the match with a win in the fourth set, 25-18.

Playing a fifth set is old hat for the Yellowjackets, but unfortunately they came up short for the second straight time. The Yellowjackets held the lead, 8-5 when the teams traded sides, but the Oles took off from there. They broke a 10-10 tie and won five of the next seven points to salt away the victory in the set and the match.

Howe and Sletta each had 17 kills, while Bayer had 12. Colligan had a team-high 19 digs, while VerWay added 18. VerWay also had 46 assists.

Up Next: The Yellowjackets (15-8, 10-1 U.M.A.C.) return home for a non-conference match Tuesday, October 9 when they host St. Olaf. Game time from Mertz Mortorelli Gym is set for 7:00 p.m. The night will also be the Yellowjackets' cause game for the year, as they will sell apparel and collect financial donations to benefit the Second Harvest Great Northern Food Bank in an effort to combat childhood hunger in Superior and Douglas County.