SUPERIOR, Wis. - If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that people are longing to see live sporting events. It doesn't matter if it is professional or the college ranks, people are clamoring to see their favorite teams in action after extended sports layoffs.

Last night the Yellowjacket men's soccer team returned to the pitch for the first time in 2020, and tonight it was the volleyball team's turn. Much like men's soccer head coach Joe Mooney, Yellowjacket volleyball coach Lynne Deadrick split her team into two squads and took to the court in the first match of the Superior Super Series.

Team Black was the home team in this match, but it was the visitors of Team Yellow that earned the win in the series opener.

Freshman Maddy Cabe (Ashland, Wis./Ashland) posted 17 kills, while senior Elise Ertl (Phillips, Wis./Phillips) added 10 kills and 16 digs as Yellow defeated Black 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-12, 25-22)

Yellow started quickly, jumping out to a 4-1 advantage early in the first set until kills from Courtney Reitmeyer (Iron River, Mich./West Iron County) and Cassy Teff (Foley, Minn./Foley) pulled Black to within one at 5-4. The teams continued to trade one and two point runs, with neither able to pull away. With the score tied 22-22, Black called a time out, but it was Yellow that came out with the winning strategy. Hailey Atwood (Big Lake, Minn./Big Lake) finished the set off with consecutive service aces, sealing the 25-22 opening set win for Yellow.

Black would bounce back in a big way in the second set, opening up a big lead early on and eventually pull away with a commanding 17-12 lead. Yellow tried to utilize the time out and slow the pace down, but it was too little, too late. Black came out of the break and outscored Yellow 8-6 to take the second set 25-18. Teff led the way in the second frame for Yellow with four kills.

Megan Holz (Savage, Minn./Burnsville) got Yellow off and running in the third set, serving a pair of aces early to put her team up 4-0. The lead ballooned to 7-1 before Black called a time out. The aces continued to fly as the set continued, with both Atwood and Cabe serving brilliantly, and Yellow rolled past Black 25-13 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

The fourth set was the polar opposite of the third, with the teams trading blows and staying within close striking distance of one another. Yellow broke a 9-9 tie and an ace by Holz gave them a two-point cushion. Yellow continued to play aggressively the rest of the set, but as quickly as the lead bulged to four, Black came back and the teams were tied again 19-19. Two more aces from Ertl and Yana Carrera (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West Senior) ultimately proved to be too much, sealing the fourth set and the match for Yellow.

Cabe got stronger as the match went on for Yellow, pounding out eight of her match-high 17 kills in the final two sets. Holz led Yellow with 31 assists, and Atwood, in the role of libero, finished with 21 digs to lead her club. On the other side of the net Kaylin Plautz (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) had 13 digs to lead the way for Black. Teff and Megan Taylor (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Tech) reached double digits in assists with 18 and 14 respectively. Savanna Renderman (Altoona, Wis./Altoona) was one of four members of Black to reach double figures in digs, tying for a match-high with 21.

With tonight's win, Yellow (1-0) takes the first of six scheduled matches against Black. The two teams will face off next Wednesday, October 7. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. at Mertz Mortorelli Gym in Superior.