SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Friday marked day one of the Saint Paul Classic for the Yellowjacket volleyball team, as they took on co-host Hamline. The Pipers defeated the 'Jackets 26-24 in the first set, but by scores of 25-21 in the second, third and fourth sets, Superior rebounded and came away with a 3-1 win inside Hutton Arena.
Match Notes
- The Yellowjackets took an early advantage courtesy of a leadoff service ace from Carlie Lohman (South Range, Wis./Superior). From there, Makenna Hohbein (Holdingford, Minn./Holdingford) logged a kill while the Pipers committed a handful of miscues. She would log two more kills midway through the set, seeing the 'Jackets lead 16-13.
- A trio of kills from HU saw them level the scoring and ultimately would capitalize on Yellowjacket errors to gain a lead.
- With the Pipers leading 23-20, Kyndra Peterson (Mounds View, Minn./Irondale), Coral Cook (Shawano, Wis./Shawano) and Hohbein garnered consecutive kills to even things at 23-23, but after a kill and service ace from HU's Lexi Helmin, the Pipers won set one 26-24.
- Superior took a 7-1 lead in set two, including three service aces from Sydney Smith (Milltown, Wis./Unity). From there, UWS saw kills from Melissa Hoff (Holmen, Wis./Holmen), Aspen Gentele (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria) and Peterson.
- The Pipers crawled back into the set and made things interesting with a trio of kills from Sophia Johnson, but an assisted block from Smith and Liv Kriewaldt (Clintonville, Wis./Clintonville), followed by kills courtesy of Gentele and Smith gave Superior a 25-21 victory.
- Set three saw the Yellowjackets lead 13-6 and would continue to lead throughout the remainder of the set. At Superior's set point, the Pipers, who had maintained striking distance, logged four points off three kills before Peterson capped things at 25-21.
- In the finale, the Yellowjackets once again took an early lead before Hamline responded back. Gentele, Hohbein and Hoff each provided the offense while the Pipers crept behind midway through the set. At 16-16, Smith and Lohman logged points while the Pipers stayed within a point until 22-21, where the 'Jackets scored the final three points to win the match with a fourth set score of 25-21.
- Hohbein led with 15 kills, while Gentele (nine) and Smith (seven) followed.
- Peterson and Kriewaldt finished with three blocks defensively, while Smith finished with two. Savanna Hering (Superior, Wis./Superior) capped her match with 22 digs, while Cook (14) and Alayna Schultz (Atwater, Minn./Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City) (13) followed.
The Yellowjackets return for day two of the Saint Paul Classic Saturday, taking on Macalester and Carleton. Action inside the Leonard Center is set for 12 p.m. versus the Scots.
