SUPERIOR, Wis. – The only time the Yellowjacket volleyball team has played at home in 2023 was when it hosted the Stinger Classic in early September.

Fast forward a couple weeks and the Yellowjackets finally returned home, and they would face the toughest task of the season so far, as they played host to the University of Northwestern in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) play.
 
It was a celebration-like evening at The Mertz. The robust student-section showed up all dressed in white, while the Yellowjackets debuted their 2023 pre-game light show. Throw in a moment of appreciation prior to the start of the match to honor head coach Lynne Deadrick for her 300th win at UW-Superior, and Friday had all the makings of a big night.
 
Unfortunately, Northwestern, the No. 4 team in the nation according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), decided to rain on the Yellowjacket parade.

The Eagles looked every bit the part of one of the country's best teams, sweeping the Yellowjackets 3-0. Set scores were 25-12, 25-14 and 25-10.

With the loss, the Yellowjackets (9-7, 2-2 UMAC) have dropped consecutive conference matches for the first time since October 2021.
 
The Yellowjackets took an early lead in the opening set, getting a kill from Maiana Stark (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) to move in front 3-2. Northwestern took charge from there, however, going on a 13-2 run to blow the set open. The Eagles would win seven of the final 10 points in the set to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
In the second set the teams traded points early, but again Northwestern went on a run, taking a 3-3 tie and turning it into a 10-3 lead. The Yellowjackets continued to fight back, and used a kill by Sydney Smith (Milltown, Wis./Unity) to pull to within four at 16-12. From there it was all Eagles and they closed out the set to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Northwestern took the momentum it gained from 9-2 run to close out the second set and remove any drama there may have been in the third. The Eagles took the first seven points of the set and ran away with it, clinching the match in sweeping fashion.
 
Stark paced the offense for the Yellowjackets with five kills, while Smith and Emma Crandell (Forest Lake, Minn./Homeschool) contributed four each. Colleen Claude (Centuria, Wis./Homeschool) and Lizzy Schmidt (Twin Lakes, Wis./Wilmot Union) posted eight and six assists, respectively.
 
Defensively, the Yellowjackets were led by Jenna Anderson (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) with a team-high 12 digs. Smith, Ella Kapus (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) and Marena Saeger (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) each had two blocks.
 
The Yellowjackets are back home Saturday when they host North Central. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Mertz Mortorelli Gym.