EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The Yellowjacket volleyball team, coming off a split Friday to open the Sandy Schumacher Memorial Volleyball Tournament at UW-Eau Claire, looked to start a winning streak after winning the second game of the tournament's opening day.
 
A tough schedule awaited the 'Jackets on Saturday, and they fell in a pair of non-conference matches. Buena Vista defeated the Yellowjackets 3-1, and St. Catherine took down the Yellowjackets 3-0 at the McPhee Physical Education Center.
 
The Yellowjackets (7-5, 0-0 UMAC) went 1-3 on the weekend and now head into conference play for the first time this season.
 
Match One
The Yellowjackets took the early lead in the opening set, but Buena Vista came roaring back, winning eight-of-nine points to surge ahead by three, 12-9. The Beavers followed that with a 7-2 run later in the set to open up a big lead. The teams traded points the rest of the way and Buena Vista closed it out, 25-18.
 
Things were tight in the second set, with neither team being able to string more than three straight points together at the midpoint. That changed with the Yellowjackets up one, 13-12, as Buena Vista rattled off five straight points and winning eight-of-ten to build up a cushion. The Yellowjackets battled back to within three at 20-17, but Buena Vista closed out the set, winning 25-19 to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
In the third set the 'Jackets came out with a sense of urgency and opened up a big lead early. Kaylin Plautz (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) led the charge, racking up three kills as the 'Jackets moved in front 8-3. Buena Vista came back and cut the lead to two, but the 'Jackets again went on a run, taking four straight points to lead 11-6. Marena Saeger (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) had a pair of kills during the Yellowjacket run. Buena Vista stopped the bleeding and eventually came all the way back, overtaking the Yellowjackets and moving in front 21-19. Then, with the set tied 22-22, Sydney Smith (Milltown, Wis./Unity) dropped a kill on the Beavers to put the Yellowjackets in front for good. They would go onto take the third set 25-22.
 
Ayla Oltmanns (Gilbert, Minn./Duluth East) and Kielan LaPlante (Chatfield, Minn./Chatfield) got the scoring started in the fourth set, helping the Yellowjackets to an early 4-0 lead. The 'Jackets would build up a 10-3 lead, but like the third set, Buena Vista battled back. The Beavers won nine straight points to move ahead 15-12. The Yellowjackets quickly rebounded and took the lead back, but the Beavers again would pull away. The 'Jackets got it to as close as two, 21-19, but Buena Vista closed it out, taking the set 25-20 and the match 3-1.
 
Three Yellowjackets registered double-digit kills, with Maiana Stark (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) leading the way with 12 kills. LaPlante and Plautz each added 10. Colleen Claude (Centuria, Wis./Homeschool) had 22 assists, while Lizzy Schmidt (Twin Lakes, Wis./Wilmot Union) contributed 18. On defense, Jenna Anderson (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) had 20 digs to lead the Yellowjackets. Claude had 15 and Stark and Lindsey Racine (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) had 13 and 11, respectively.
 
Match Two
The final match of the tournament pitted the Yellowjackets against St. Kate's. The Wildcats are an opponent the 'Jackets haven't seen much of over the years, with Saturday being just the sixth meeting all-time between the clubs.
 
St. Kate's held a 3-2 edge in the all-time series, and after Saturday its edge has grown to two. The Wildcats swept the Yellowjackets 3-0, taking the sets by scores of 25-20, 28-26 and 25-23.
 
The teams went back-and-forth in the opening set, swapping points and leads along the way. The Yellowjackets took advantage of multiple St. Kate's errors and built themselves a 16-11 lead. The Wildcats turned things around, however, going on an 8-1 run to pull in front for good. A Plautz kill got the 'Jackets to within one at 21-20, but St. Kate's won the final four points to take the set.
 
St. Kate's kept the momentum rolling to start the second set, taking an early 7-2 lead. A kill from LaPlante stopped the bleeding and the Yellowjackets began to slowly claw their way back into the set. A LaPlante kill got them to within one, and Oltmanns tied it up with a kill to make it 17-17. A St. Kate's error gave the Yellowjackets the lead, but it was short lived as the Wildcats pulled back in front. Down two, Oltmanns got the 'Jackets back to within 20-19. The 'Jackets then took the next three points to lead 22-20. The Wildcats rallied, and got to set point at 24-23, but the Yellowjackets tied it up. The 'Jackets eventually got to set point themselves, at 26-25, but St. Kate's took the next three points to win the set and go up 2-0 in the match.
 
The third set was another tight one, with the teams trading points and leads throughout. Every time a team took a multiple-point lead, the other team came back and evened the score. A 7-1 run gave the Yellowjackets a 19-15 lead, and the teams traded points to put the 'Jackets on the cusp of winning their first set of the match, leading 23-19. But as they did all day, the Wildcats battled back. St. Kate's went on a 6-0 run late, winning the set and sweeping the match.
 
Plautz led the Yellowjackets with 11 kills and attacked at a clip of .385. LaPlante had another strong match, as well, finishing with seven kills. Schmidt led the Yellowjackets with 15 assists, while Claude turned in 12.

For her efforts, Plautz was recognized on the Sandy Schumacher Memorial All-Tournament Team.

Defensively, Anderson again led the Yellowjackets with 17 digs. Claude added 11 digs, while Schmidt and Oltmanns collected 10 each.
 
The Yellowjackets will stay on the road as they open their UMAC schedule at Northland College Tuesday, Sept. 19. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Kendrigan Gym in Ashland.