SUPERIOR, Wis. – The UW-Superior women's volleyball team improved to 2-0 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference with a 3-0 sweep of Martin Luther at Mertz Mortorelli Gym Saturday.
 
The Yellowjackets (8-9, 2-0 UMAC) closed the day with a four-set loss to Bethel, taking the first set against the Royals, 25-21, before dropping the final three, 25-17, 25-18 and 25-22.
 
Against the Knights, senior Brylee Colligan (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) had her sixth double-double of the season with a match-high 13 kills and 15 digs. Colligan hit. 478 to help UWS to a .231 attack efficiency as a team. Junior Cami Sletta (Willmar, Minn./Willmar Senior) chipped in with 11 kills in 20 swings with three digs and two blocks. Gina Baertsch (Farmington, Minn./Farmington Area) and Megan Holz (Savage, Minn./Burnsville) combined for 30 of the team's 34 assists in the match. Baertsch collected 17.
 
The 'Jackets held Martin Luther (2-13, 0-1 UMAC) to a negative hitting percentage with 15 kills and 16 errors in 73 attacks (-0.14).
 
Tied 7-7 in the first set, UWS ran off four consecutive points to take control. Sletta started the run with a kill from Baertsch for the lead. Then, two Hannah Goggleye (Calumet, Minn./Greenway) service aces in three points made it 11-7. The lead grew to 15-9 on a block from Jordyn O'Brien (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) and Elise Ertl (Phillips, Wis./Phillips). UWS closed the set at 25-14 with three straight points – a kill from Colligan and two MLC errors.
 
The Knights opened an 8-1 advantage in the second set, expanding it to 12-4, before Superior came storming back. Down, 16-9, Superior tallied 11 of the next 12 points to claim a 20-17 advantage. Hailey Atwood (Big Lake, Minn./Big Lake) recorded two aces in the stretch, including on the final point in the run.
 
Kills by Colligan and O'Brien gave the set to the 'Jackets at 25-20.
 
The teams traded points in the third set until MLC put up five straight points for a 15-11 lead. UWS battled back for the tie at 17-17 with a Sletta kill. Another kill by Sletta and ace from Yana Carrera (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West Senior) gave the 'Jackets the lead they would not lose the rest of the way. Holz ended the match at 25-22 with a kill.
 
Kelsey Birschbach paced the Knights with six kills. She added nine digs. Katelyn Aswege added 12 digs and Jewel St Germaine had 10.
 
Against the Royals (12-5), Sletta and Lexi Oeltjen (Lake Elmo, Minn./Stillwater Area) registered 12 kills piece, while Colligan contributed 11. Holz had 23 of the Superior's 50 assists to go with a career-high 30 digs for her fifth double-double of the season.
 
Kelsie Sealock (15 kills) and Macie Gavic and Allie Fauth (14 kills) paced the Bethel offense, helping the Royals to a .250 hitting percentage.
 
The 'Jackets' largest lead of the first set came on a Colligan kill at 17-10. They cruised to the set win from there. BU won the second, 25-17 and the third 25-18. Bethel put the match away in the fourth, 25-22, despite UWS fighting off five match points.
 
UWS returns to action Tuesday, taking on UW-Stout at Johnson Fieldhouse in Menomonie. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.