SUPERIOR, Wis. - The Yellowjacket volleyball team ended the weekend with a 2-2 record at the Subway Stinger Classic Saturday, making their record 6-2 on the year. The 'Jackets won a five-set thriller against Hamline University before falling to St. Scholastica in four sets to close the weekend.
 
The Hamline Pipers proved to be a tough opponent for the Yellowjackets, making them work for each point.
 
Ayla Oltmanns (Gilbert, Minn./Duluth East) led the team in kills with 17, followed by Makenna Hohbein (Holdingford, Minn./Holdingford) with 15, and Sidney Bader (Milltown, Wis./Unity) with 12. Colleen Claude (Centuria, Wis./Homeschool) had a team-leading 26 assists while Jenna Anderson (Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) led the team in digs with 30.
 
Match One Notes

• Set one was all in favor of the Yellowjackets. The 'Jackets went on a 9-0 run early making it tough for the Pipers to make a comeback. The Yellowjackets capitalized on the Pipers attacking errors, winning the set 25-14.
• Set two started slowly for the 'Jackets after piling on several attacking errors. The momentum shifted in favor of the 'Jackets with the help of Hohbein, who got a loud kill. The Pipers continued to give the Yellowjackets a run for their money, but it wasn't enough as the 'Jackets won set two 25-21.
• The Pipers put up a good fight against the Yellowjackets. Both teams had significant scoring runs that shifted the energy. The Pipers outlasted the 'Jackets by going on a 5-0 run late to win set three, 25-23.
• Another back-and-forth battle between the Pipers and the Yellowjackets happened in the fourth set. With each team going on several scoring runs, the momentum shifts were familiar. The 'Jackets put up a fight, making the Pipers work for every point. In the end, the Pipers topped the 'Jackets in the fourth set, 25-23.
• Going into the fifth set, the Yellowjackets brought the fire, being the first to score eight as the teams switched sides. The Pipers responded with a scoring run of seven points. After a timeout, the 'Jackets countered with high energy, shifting the momentum. With the score going back and forth, the 'Jackets finished the match with two energy-building points to pull through and win the fifth set 15-10.

Last season, the Yellowjackets beat the St. Scholastica Saints twice, once at home in four sets and once away in three sets. This is a different year, though and the Saints showed improvement and didn't let the 'Jackets get away with a win.
 
Match Two Notes

• Set one was tough for the Yellowjackets. Going head-to-head with the Saints, the 'Jackets put up a good fight but took the loss, 25-20.
• Going into set two, there was a momentum change in favor of the 'Jackets as they went on a five-point run early. The Saints made some big plays to make the score close, but they still trailed 14-13. Scrappy defense on both sides made it tough for either team to score. The 'Jackets put it all together to win set two, 25-21.
• Set three was another back-and-forth battle between the Saints and the Yellowjackets. Both teams made significant runs, but the Saints came out on top in a thriller, winning 29-27.
• The start of the fourth set was not going in favor of the Yellowjackets. The Saints went on a 9-1 scoring run early and stretched the lead to 16-6. The 'Jackets fought back thanks to the tough serving by Claude and kills by Oltmanns and Melissa Hoff (Holmen, Wis./Holmen). Given their best efforts, the 'Jackets couldn't fully comeback, losing the fourth set 25-21.
• A total of 13 different Yellowjackets had digs in the match, led by Anderson with 22 and Hohbein with 20.

Hohbein paced the Yellowjackets with 14 kills, while Addy Gangl (Nashwauk, Minn./Nashwauk-Keewatin) added 11 and Oltmanns 10. Gangl was again solid at the net, turning in six blocks.
 
The Yellowjackets are set to play in the Macalester College Tournament in Minneapolis, Minn. next weekend. Their first opponents will be Grinnell College and Lewis and Clark College at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., respectively, Friday, Sept. 13.
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