MORRIS, Minn. – Following an evening that Yellowjacket head coach Lynne Deadrick earned her 300th win in three sets against Crown, the 'Jacket volleyball team had a quick turnaround, facing Minnesota Morris. Despite the Yellowjackets winning the second set, the Cougars would earn the 3-1 victory Saturday.
 
The Cougars began the match with a 25-22 victory in the first set. The 'Jackets came back to win the second set 25-21, but that would be all as the Cougars came out on top 25-20 and 25-18.
 
The first set started with the Yellowjackets leading 6-4. After service errors from both teams, the 'Jackets came alive after a kill from freshman Sidney Bader (Milltown, Wis./Unity). This would spark a five-point rally, bringing the match to 13-8. After taking a timeout at 14-9, the Cougars bounced back in a big way. Despite the Yellowjackets scoring a handful of points, the Cougars would pull away and clinch the first set 25-22.
 
During the second set the 'Jackets once again took an early lead at 6-2, with Maiana Stark (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) and Kaylin Plautz (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) registering four kills. Minnesota Morris used Yellowjacket attack errors to its advantage and crawled back to tie the match 8-8. Both teams went back-and-forth until the Yellowjackets called a timeout down 18-20. From there, Lizzy Schmidt (Twin Lakes, Wis./Wilmot Union) fired off back-to-back service aces, ultimately leading to UWS winning the second set 25-21.
 
Set number three would begin with the Cougars jumping to an early 7-3 lead. Despite a handful of Yellowjacket kills, the Cougars increased their lead to 13-8. Deadrick called a timeout that would spark four-straight points from the 'Jackets, including two kills from Plautz. Both teams traded points and leads for the rest of the way, but Minnesota Morris won the third set.
 
UW-Superior started the fourth set on top, but the Cougars stopped the bleeding early and established a 14-8 lead. The Yellowjackets would come within one point but the Cougars called a timeout to regroup. From there Minnesota Morris never relinquished the lead, cruising to a 25-18 victory and securing the match.
 
Lydia Nash led the Cougars' offensive attack with 16 kills. McKenzie Newton ended the afternoon with 42 assists, while Ava Brunn scooped 17 digs and Laura Wellbrock and Sydney Eckhoff added 12 of their own.
 
Plautz turned in another strong match, finishing with 18 kills and attacking at a .412 clip. Kielan LaPlante (Chatfield, Minn./Chatfield) followed with 11 kills of her own, while Stark finished with eight.
 
Colleen Claude (Centuria, Wis./Homeschool) added 21 more assists on the afternoon, while Jenna Anderson (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) finished the match with 20 digs, while Stark had 15 and freshman Lindsey Racine (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) turned in 14.
 
The Yellowjackets (9-6, 2-1 UMAC) will return home to face #6 Northwestern Friday Sept. 29. First serve at Mertz Mortorelli Gym is slated for 7 p.m.