WAVERLY, Iowa – The Yellowjacket volleyball team was back in action Saturday, competing on the second day of the 2024 Wartburg Invite. Coming off a loss to Coe Friday evening, the Yellowjackets were hoping to rebound, and in the process earn their 10th win of the 2024 season.
 
The 'Jackets opened play Saturday with a thrilling 3-2 win over Simpson College, before being forced to settle for a split following a 3-0 loss to Wartburg.
 
It is the fourth time this season the Yellowjackets (10-5, 0-0 UMAC) have split games on a day of tournament play.
 
Statistically, the opening match with Simpson was about as even as a match could get, with the teams within 10 of each other in just about every statistical category. Simpson took the opening set, before the Yellowjackets won the second and third. Simpson rallied to take the fourth before the Yellowjackets outlasted them in the deciding fifth.
 
Addy Gangl (Nashwauk, Minn./Nashwauk-Keewatin) paced the offense, for the Yellowjackets against Simpson, finishing with a match-high 20 kills. Ayla Oltmanns (Gilbert, Minn./Duluth East) and Makenna Hohbein (Holdingford, Minn./Holdingford) had 18 and 14 kills, respectively.
 
Match One Notes

• Simpson took the early lead in the opening set, winning six of the first eight points. The Yellowjackets had a run of three straight points, fueled by kills from Oltmanns and Gangl, but they weren't able to close the gap and Simpson took the first set 25-20.
• In the second set Simpson again had a lead early, but the Yellowjackets, on kills by Hohbein and Gangl moved in front, 6-5. A stretch where the 'Jackets took 10 of 12 points gave them some breathing room and a 16-8. Simpson rallied in a big way, closing the gap to one, 21-20, but the 'Jackets held on for the 25-22 win, evening the match.
• The third set following a similar script to the second, but this time Simpson had its rally early, coming from behind to take a 9-6 lead. UWS kept it close, but couldn't pull even until late. Down three, the 'Jackets used kills by Marena Saeger (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater) and Oltmanns, along with a Simpson error to tie the set 21-21. The 'Jackets closed the set taking four straight points to get the 25-22 win.
• Things were close in the fourth set, as the teams went back and forth. Simpson held the lead, before the Yellowjackets went on a 3-0 run to tie it at 15-15. Simpson countered with four points in a row, but again the 'Jackets rallied, and a Hohbein kill put them up 21-20. From there, however, it was all Simspon and they took the set 25-23.
• Simpson had the early advantage in the fifth, using a 4-0 run to move ahead of the Yellowjackets 6-4. Simpson led by two when he teams changed sides, and then the Yellowjackets went to work. The 'Jackets won five of the next six points to lead 11-9. Simpson countered and took a 12-11 lead, but it was all Superior the rest of the way. Sitting on match point, Colleen Claude (Centuria, Wis./Homeschool) closed it out with her only kill of the match, giving the Yellowjackets the set, 15-13.
• In addition to her kill, Claude had 33 assists. She also had 20 digs.
• Jenna Anderson (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) finished with a team-high 37 digs, eclipsing the 2,000-dig mark throughout her career as a Yellowjacket.
• Sydney Smith (Milltown, Wis./Unity) was stellar on defense, finishing with five blocks.
• The Yellowjackets attacked at a .175 clip, with Gangl leading the way with a .357 attack percentage.
• Hohbein posted a double-double, finishing with 11 digs in addition to her 14 kills.
• The match marked the first-ever win for the Yellowjackets over Simpson.

After an exhausting match that went the distance, the Yellowjackets went right back to work, taking on the hosts from Wartburg. The Knights were ready for anything and everything the Yellowjackets would throw at them and defeated UWS quickly in three sets.
 
The Knights posted an attack percentage of .337, making just nine errors on the way to the straight set win.
 
Oltmanns had eight kills to lead the Yellowjackets. Claude had 10 assists, while Gabi Schwirtz (Plato, Minn./Glencoe-Silver Lake) had nine and Carlie Lohman (South Range, Wis./Superior) had seven. Anderson had 13 digs.
 
Match Two Notes

• The 'Jackets were on fire to start, opening up a 7-0 lead in the opening set. With Hohbein serving, the Yellowjackets got kills from Oltmanns and Ella Kapus (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) to build the lead. Wartburg started to chip away, and used a late 5-0 run to tie and then surpass the Yellowjackets, in the process taking a 19-17 lead. Wartburg would hold the lead to win the set 25-21.
• In the second set UWS again took an early lead before Wartburg rallied. Tied at 5-5, Wartburg went on a 7-0 run to blow the set open. The Knights would follow that with a 6-0 run and cruise to a 25-13 win to take the set.
• The Knights picked up in the third set where they left off in the second, opening up a big lead early. The Yellowjackets closed the gap to six, 15-9, but it was a little too late at that point as Wartburg pulled away and closed out a 25-13 win.
• The Yellowjackets had an attack percentage of .126.
• In the match the Yellowjackets had five blocks.
• Gangl was tabbed to the All-Tournament Team for her offensive performance over the weekend.
• Wartburg has won the last seven matches between the two.

The Yellowjackets are back in action Tuesday when they host Northland in the opener of UMAC play for both squads. The opening serve is set for 7 p.m. at Mertz Mortorelli Gym.
  Read Full Article