SUPERIOR, Wis. - It's been a while since we've seen the Yellowjacket volleyball team - 12 days to be exact. During that previous appearance, Team Yellow took the opening match of the 2020 Superior Super Series from Team Black in four sets. Wednesday night at Mertz Mortorelli Gym, the second match of the series took place, with Team Black coming in with a chip on its shoulder looking to even the series.

Mission accomplished.

Senior Elise Ertl (Phillips, Wis./Phillips) had her second strong match of the series, posting a match-best 16 kills while freshman Kielan LaPlante (Chatfield, Minn./Chatfield) added 10 as Team Black rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Team Yellow 3-2. Set scores were 28-30, 27-25, 25-27, 25-21, and 15-13.

The two evenly matched teams did battle for over two hours, with the first three sets needing extra time to decide the winner.

Team Black started off on a strong note, with Megan Holz (Savage, Minn./Burnsville) opening the match with a service ace to grab the early lead. The teams went back and forth before Yellow pulled ahead 13-7. Maddy Cabe (Ashland, Wis./Ashland) led the charge, serving up four aces in five attempts. Black called time-out and regrouped, eventually closing the gap and drawing even late. Cabe delivered the death blow in the opening set, blocking an attack from Holz, capping the incredible 26-minute set and giving Yellow the 1-0 lead in the match.

Black would start the second set off in a similar fashion to the first, picking up the first three points. The set would continue to bounce back and forth, and like the first, a team would pull away. Black built a 13-7 lead, and needing a change in momentum, Yellow called time-out. When the teams returned to the court, long, intense rallies followed and Yellow would come all the way back to take the lead. Team Black called a time-out of its own, and swung the momentum back in its favor. The second frame again needed extra time and this time Black would close things out, evening the match at one game apiece.

Yellow started quickly in the third set, taking the early lead. But as was the story earlier in the match, Black bounced back. The teams traded points before Yellow pulled away, scoring five straight points thanks to kills from Cabe and Kaylin Plautz (Elk River, Minn./Elk River). Black wasn't about to go away quietly, however, and once again battled back to tie the set late. Black took a 25-24 lead and was on the verge of closing the set out, but Yellow had other ideas, winning three straight points on the service of Plautz to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

For the first time, a set didn't need extra time when Black battled back to take the fourth and even the match. Kayla Lentz (Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood) was a key player in the set for Team Black, serving the team to a lead they wouldn't relinquish and setting the stage for the deciding fifth set.

The fifth looked like it would be a laugher, as Yellow jumped out to a 7-2 lead before Black called a time-out. Three straight points pulled Black back into the set, and after the teams changed sides, the race was on. Black went on a 5-0 run to pull ahead and outlasted Yellow, taking the set by two and winning the match 3-2.

Ertl and LaPlante were the two players to hit double figures in kills for Black, who got 24 and 22 assists, respectively, from Cassy Teff (Foley, Minn./Foley) and Holz. Lentz finished with 28 digs, while Holz had 27. Black had four players finish with more than 20 digs.

On the other side, Cabe led Yellow with 14 kills, while Plautz turned in 11. Megan Taylor (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Tech) added 26 assists. Hailey Atwood (Big Lake, Minn./Big Lake) was a monster on defense, posting 40 digs in the five-set marathon.

The third match of the 2020 Superior Super Series will take place Tuesday, October 13. The opening serve is set for 7:00 p.m. at Mertz Mortorelli Gym.