WEST ALLIS, Wis. – The UW-Superior volleyball team played a pair of five-set matches on the opening day of the 2019 Warrior Invitational hosted by Wisconsin Lutheran Friday.
 
UWS outlasted Beloit to end the day after falling to Maranatha Baptist. The Yellowjackets topped the Buccaneers, 25-19, 22-25, 25, 12, 26-28, and 15-9. Maranatha beat the 'Jackets, 25-23, 19-25, 24-26, 25-19 and 15-13.
 
Against Beloit, Cami Sletta (Willmar, Minn./Willmar Senior) tallied 19 kills, hitting .444. Hannah Goggleye (Calumet, Minn./Greenway) recorded 10 kills while Cassy Teff (Foley, Minn./Foley) and Brylee Colligan (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) chipped in with nine apiece. Gina Baertsch (Farmington, Minn./Farmington Area) collected a double-double with 27 assists and 10 digs. Yana Carrera (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West Senior) led the UWS defensive Effort with a match-high 20 digs.
 
After dropping a tight fourth set in extra points, the 'Jackets pulled out the fifth to claim the victory and improve to 14-18 overall. UWS never trailed in the deciding set, leading by as many as eight points at 13-5. Beloit (8-19) made it interesting, clawing to within five, before UWS took two of the final three points to sew up the match.
 
UWS outhit Beloit, .268-.188, and led in kills, 68-50. Superior also led in aces, 14-9, and digs, 83-69.
 
Sletta and Colligan paced the UWS attack with 14 and 13 kills, respectively, against the Sabercats. Colligan added 21 digs for a double-double.
 
After trading the first two sets, Superior took the third in extra points following winning nine of the final 13 points. Maranatha closed out the match winning the final two sets, including the fifth by just two points. 
 
The Sabercats jumped out to a 6-1 advantage in the fifth. The 'Jackets closed it to 6-4 on a block by Teff and a pair of attack errors, but Maranatha (18-3) buckled down, winning two of the next three points and five of seven for a 11-6 edge. 
 
Claire Hansel closed the match with one of her match-bets 20 kills for MBU.
 
The 'Jackets face Concordia-Chicago at 10 a.m., and tournament-host Wisconsin Lutheran at noon Saturday.