IRVING, Tex. – The Yellowjacket volleyball team commenced its season Friday, entering the Austin College/University of Dallas Tournament in Texas. Their first opponents of 2024 came against McMurry and Shenandoah and the 'Jackets prevailed in both matches, going 2-0 on day one inside the Maher Athletic Center.
 
UW-Superior's opening match came down to the wire, as McMurry forced a fifth set after falling 2-1. After a back-and-forth battle, the Yellowjackets edged the War Hawks 3-2.
 
In match two of the tournament, the Yellowjackets followed a different narrative, defeating the Hornets of Shenandoah in straight sets while winning the battle of stinging insects.
 
These wins mark the first season UWS has opened the season with two wins since the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season. That year, the 'Jackets started 5-0.
 
Match One

• UWS began the first set on the right foot, leaping to an early 8-3 lead. Maiana Stark (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) was credited with the first kill of the match, while Addy Gangl (Nashwauk, Minn./Nashwauk-Keewatin) tallied a pair of her first as a Yellowjacket.
• The War Hawks came within two at 12-10, but Ayla Oltmanns (Gilbert, Minn./Duluth East), Marena Saeger (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) and Sydney Smith (Milltown, Wis./Unity) led the charge to jump ahead 21-14. Momentum would switch, however, as McMurry took advantage of Yellowjacket miscues to come within one at 22-21.
• The Yellowjackets came within one to take the first set before McMurry threw the final dagger, winning 27-25.
• Set number two featured both squads trading points and the lead early on until Saeger helped spearhead a five-point rally at 7-6, jumping ahead 11-6. McMurry fired back with a five-point rally of their own, but the 'Jackets rebounded, ultimately taking a 22-18 lead.
• The duo of Gabi Schwirtz (Plato, Minn./Glencoe-Silver Lake) and Colleen Claude (Centuria, Wis./Homeschool) helped lead the rally, before Gangl and Saeger shut the door at 25-19.
• UW-Superior commanded the majority of the third set. Joining the points party was Ella Kapus (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) and Savanna Hering (Superior, Wis./Superior), aiding the early 10-3 barrage. The War Hawks found their groove for a few points, but UWS eventually powered through for a 25-17 victory.
• Down two sets to one, McMurry mustered a victory in set four by a score of 25-18. Taking an early 11-7 lead, the 'Jackets saw offensive output from Stark, Oltmanns, Jenna Anderson (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) and Makenna Hohbein (Holdingford, Minn./Holdingford). The War Hawks broke the logjam at 11-11 and never looked back, forcing a fifth set.
• McMurry tallied the first three points of the set before Stark took a feed from Claude. Exchanging the lead with nearly each point, the 'Jackets tied things up at 11-11 before the War Hawks countered. Saeger registered a kill before McMurry suffered an attack error and Stark finished things off with a service ace.
• Stark and Oltmanns finished with 15 kills apiece, right behind Saeger who tallied 17.
• Anderson finished with 37 digs, one of the highest marks of her Yellowjacket career. Her highest came as a freshman, scooping 43 in the final regular season match of 2021.
• Claude wrapped up match one with 29 assists, giving her over 1,000 career assists throughout her collegiate career.

 
Match Two

• Early in the opening set the Hornets and Yellowjackets volleyed the lead until Claude set Smith up for a set-tying kill at 12-12. The Hornets grabbed a point before the 'Jackets executed a six-point rally led by Anderson, Oltmanns, and Hohbein.
• Leading 18-13, the Yellowjackets maintained control, as Gangl joined the kill party to orchestrate a 25-18 victory.
• The second set was all Yellowjackets, as they scored the first three points and never looked back. Smith and Oltmanns began the offensive attack, while Schwirtz and Saeger helped finish the set at 25-16.
• Once again UWS took early control and never looked back. Hohbein contributed early points before Shenandoah committed multiple miscues, leading to a 22-9 advantage.
• Melissa Hoff (Holmen, Wis./Holmen) and Kate Jamtgaard (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) entered the match, dishing out assists and blocking Hornet attack efforts before Hohbein, Stark and Smith shut the door at 25-12.
• Anderson accounted for a team-leading 15 digs, while Smith led the offensive output with 10 kills.

 
The Yellowjackets finish tournament action in Texas Saturday, taking on Austin College and Nebraska Wesleyan. The opening serve is set for 10 a.m. inside Hughey Gymnasium in Sherman, Texas.

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