EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The Yellowjacket volleyball team traveled to the campus of UW-Eau Claire to take part in the Tenth Annual Sandy Schumacher Memorial Tournament. Day one would feature the 'Jackets facing UW-River Falls and Beloit. Both matches didn't go further than the third set and the Yellowjackets salvaged the split, falling to the Falcons 3-0 and defeating the Buccaneers 3-0 Friday.
 
Match One
Neither team was able to take control early on, as points were traded back and forth. After blocks from junior Maiana Stark (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) and freshman Sydney Smith (Milltown, Wis./Unity) to notch the match at 2-2, the Falcons would take control from there and hold the lead until the end of the set. Freshman Ayla Oltmanns (Gilbert, Minn./Duluth East) tallied four kills during the set, while Kielan LaPlante (Chatfield, Minn./Chatfield) and Stark contributed three of their own. Kameri Meredith would lead the charge with four kills, while four other Falcons tallied three to help win the first set 25-19.
 
The second set was much closer, as both teams sparked comebacks midway. The Falcons took an early lead, but a kill from Kaylin Plautz (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) kept the match close at 5-3. After a few Falcon mishaps, the Yellowjackets held the lead for a few points until River Falls turned it around and got on a role. The Falcons took a timeout at 12-11, and from there the 'Jackets held the lead after multiple attack errors. From there, the teams would trade points late into the set as the Falcons closed the door with a service ace courtesy of Kameri Meredith at 25-20.
 
River Falls controlled the third set from the beginning, taking a 7-1 lead and forcing head coach Lynne Deadrick to take an early timeout. From there the Yellowjackets would muster a comeback and tie the match at 9-9 and again at 15-15, but that was the closest they would get as River Falls finished the match 25-18, snapping a five-match winning streak for UWS.
 
Stark led the Yellowjackets with nine kills and 19 digs, while Colleen Claude (Centuria, Wis./Homeschool) added 17 assists. Libero Jenna Anderson (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) would finish the match with 16 digs.
 
Match Two
After a tough first match, the Yellowjackets were determined to earn a split in the nightcap against Beloit, a team they only faced once. The first meeting between the two teams was a long one, taking a full five sets in a nailbiter of a match.
 
Friday had a different narrative, as it only took the Yellowjackets 65 minutes to earn the 3-0 sweep against Beloit.
 
Early on, the Buccaneers would score three unanswered points, including a service ace from Keiki Pua'a. Beloit would keep the set close, trading the lead with the Yellowjackets. Junior Rilie Kupka (Eagan, Minn./Burnsville Senior) kickstarted the comeback with a kill to bring the match to 5-8. From there, the 'Jackets would come back to take the lead and not give it up, winning the first set 25-15.
 
The Yellowjackets would dominate in the second set, as Claude kicked things off with a service ace. After a point from Buccaneer Kierra Hoover, the 'Jackets would score eight-straight points and lead 11-1. Despite a few attack errors dropping their lead to 16-6, UWS would pick itself up and lead the rest of the way, finishing the set at 25-6.
 
Set number three started with the 'Jackets scoring four-straight points. From there, UWS would take control until Beloit was forced to take a timeout. The Buccaneers rallied and brought the match as close to 11-13, but the Yellowjackets would maintain their lead and finish the match 25-15.
 
Five different Yellowjackets tallied five kills, including Stark, Kupka, Plautz, and Marena Saeger (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area). Anderson added 14 digs to her season total of 196 and Claude scooped 11. Kupka also contributed three blocks on the nightcap, including two solo blocks.
 
The Yellowjackets continue tournament play Saturday, facing Buena Vista at 12 p.m. and St. Catherine at 4 p.m.