SAINT PAUL, Minn.: The Yellowjacket volleyball team was riding high heading into action Tuesday. With a six-match winning streak in their hip pocket, the Yellowjackets were looking to make a statement against Northwestern, the consensus pick to repeat as U.M.A.C. champions in the pre-season coaches poll.
 
On this day, the Eagles showed why they've been ranked nationally throughout the season.
 
After a tight opening set Northwestern put the pedal down to defeat the Yellowjackets in straight sets to put the rest of the U.M.A.C. in a stranglehold.

The Yellowjackets did bounce back, however, winning their second match of the triangle over Martin Luther.
 
Northwestern 3, Yellowjackets 0
 
Northwestern jumped out to a big lead early, taking the first five points and six of the first seven. The Yellowjackets battled back, riding kills from Cami Sletta (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) and Hannah Goggleye (Calumet, Minn./Greenway) to pull to within two at 6-4. The Eagles followed with another extended run to push the lead to eight, but the Yellowjackets again rallied, and a Taylor Howe (Webster, Wis./Webster) kill made it a two-point set, 14-12. Northwestern again pulled away and opened up a four-point lead when they got to set point. An ace from Emily VerWay (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) made it 24-22, but the Eagles took the set on the next point.
 
The Eagles started the second set the same as the first, taking a big lead early. The Yellowjackets got to within three at 8-5, but they weren't able to put together an extended run in the set. The teams traded points in threes late in the set, but the lead was too big and the Eagles took the frame 25-17 to move ahead 2-0.
 
It was tight as the third set unfolded with the Yellowjackets within a point at 12-11 following a kill by VerWay. Northwestern won four straight points to pull away, but the Yellowjackets again came back, and a Goggleye kill made it a 17-15 set. From there it was all Eagles, as they pulled away and won the third set 25-18 to sweep the match.
 
Howe posted 10 kills to lead the Yellowjackets, while Sletta had nine and a team-high .300 attack percentage. VerWay dished out 31 assists.
 
Yellowjackets 3, Martin Luther 0
 
After seeing the winning streak go by the boards, the Yellowjackets got back in the win column in convincing fashion as they took down Martin Luther in convincing fashion.
 
Back-to-back kills from Brylee Colligan (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) and Ashlee Bayer (Cameron, Wis./Cameron) put the Yellowjackets up five early. They then won eight of the next nine points to blow the opening set wide open. Bayer had consecutive kills late in the set to push the Yellowjacket lead to 14, 23-9. The Knights did win three straight points before Howe closed out the set with a kill to give the Yellowjackets the 25-13 win.
 
The second set was all Yellowjackets. Up 6-4, a Bayer kill made it 7-4 and put Colligan at the service line. By the time she was done the Yellowjacket lead swelled by ten points, putting the set out of reach. With the 'Jackets up 13, back-to-back errors by Martin Luther sealed the set. The 'Jackets took the frame 25-10 to hold a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Martin Luther managed to score only 23 points in the opening two sets against a stingy Yellowjacket defense. They matched that and then some in a third set filled with drama.
 
Early on the teams were tied four different times before the Yellowjackets pulled away to take an 11-6 lead. Showing life they hadn't shown all match, Martin Luther rallied to overcome the Yellowjackets and go ahead, 14-12. The teams stayed close, but the Knights continued to lead until a combo block by Goggleye and Howe knotted the set at 22-22. The 'Jackets had a match point at 24-23, but the Knights came back and had a set point of their own, 26-25. Each team would have further chances to take the set before the Yellowjackets rode a pair of attack errors by the Knights to a 30-28 victory to sweep the match.
 
As she did in the first match Howe paced the Yellowjackets with 14 kills. Bayer also hit double digits, finishing the match with 12 as the Yellowjackets attacked at a .384 clip. Doranna Blascyk (Hoffman, Minn./West Central Area) have four aces in the match. VerWay posted 33 assists. Defensively Colligan had 19 digs while Karlie Leif (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) had 17.
 
Up Next: The Yellowjackets (12-6, 7-1 U.M.A.C.) stay in conference play when they return home to host Crown College. The Yellowjackets handily defeated the Storm in straight sets last Saturday. Game time from The Mertz is set for 3:00 p.m.