SUPERIOR, Wis. - Match number three of the 2020 Superior Super Series took place at Mertz Mortorelli Gym, with each squad entering play Wednesday with one win apiece. Team Yellow started off strong, winning the opening match of the series in four sets. Team Black would come back and win the second, but they needed the full five sets to even things up. Wednesday was another tight battle, and once again it was Team Yellow coming out with the win.

Sophomore Yana Carrera (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West Senior) starred on defense, finishing the night with 27 digs while freshman Maddy Cabe (Ashland, Wis./Ashland) paced the offense with a match-high 16 kills as Yellow defeated Black in four sets, winning by scores of 25-20, 18-25, 25-15, 25-22.

The match began with senior Elise Ertl (Phillips, Wis./Phillips) leading Yellow to five straight points. They would take the lead to 8-1 before Black would call a timeout to regroup itself. The timeout only served to aid Yellow, however, as it continued to roll and extended its lead to 20-11. Black would come fighting back and close the gap to as little as four points, but the slow start was too much to overcome and Yellow took the opener.

In the second set, things went back-and-forth early with neither team able to jump out to a big lead. Yellow made a push early, but Black battled back and tied the set at 7-7. Once even, Black took off, finishing on a strong 19-8 run and ultimately winning the set 25-18 and evening the match 1-1.

Black carried its momentum into the third set, and looked like it was poised to take a 2-1 lead in the match. After building an early lead, Black left the door open and Yellow barged through. Kaylin Plautz (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) started the rally, earning the kill and pulling Yellow to within one at 9-8. It was the first in a run of points that saw Yellow eventually pull ahead 15-10. Kielan LaPlante (Chatfield, Minn./Chatfield) would finish off the set, picking up the kill to give Yellow the 25-15 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.

LaPlante and Plautz were instrumental in the set win for Yellow, combining for 10 kills. LaPlante and Plautz had six and four kills, respectively, in the set.

Looking to close things out in the fourth, Yellow went back to its strength from early in the match. Ertl went on another serving run, helping Yellow jump out to an 8-2 lead. Black would once again answer back, and tie the set at 15-15. An attack error by Black put Yellow ahead, and four more points followed before Black would call timeout to stop the bleeding. Yellow pulled away before Black rallied late, but it wasn't enough and Yellow closed out the match with a 25-22 win in the fourth set.

In addition to Cabe's 16 kills, Plautz added 12. They were the only two members of Yellow to reach double figures. The offense ran through Holz, who finished with 41 assists to go along with 13 digs.

On the other side, Savanna Renderman (Altoona, Wis./Altoona) had a team-high 10 kills, accounting for more than a quarter of her team's kills in the match. Hailey Atwood (Big Lake, Minn./Big Lake) was outstanding on defense, turning in a match-best 32 digs.

The fourth match of the 2020 Superior Super Series will take place Saturday, October 24. The opening serve is set for 12:00 p.m. at Mertz Mortorelli Gym.