SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Yellowjacket volleyball team made its season debut inside Mertz Mortorelli Gym for the annual Subway Stinger Classic Friday. In their first match versus St. Scholastica, the 'Jackets went the distance and prevailed 3-2 over their bridge-battle counterparts. In the nightcap with UW-La Crosse, the 'Jackets would once again require all five sets, but Superior came out on top with another 3-2 win.
Match One Notes
- Superior began with four points, courtesy of Aspen Gentele (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria) and Kyndra Peterson (Mounds View, Minn./Irondale). The Saints would counter with a pair of rallies to lead 12-6, and from there would maintain the edge throughout the set in a 25-18 win.
- Sydney Smith (Milltown, Wis./Unity) and Makenna Hohbein (Holdingford, Minn./Holdingford) led off the second set with a pair of kills before the Saints and the 'Jackets would commence a set-long volley of the lead. Peterson and Hohbein would provide offensive support while Melissa Hoff (Holmen, Wis./Holmen) and Aspen Gentele (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria) had key blocks to shift the momentum.
- Late in the set, Kate Jamtgaard (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) and Gentele fired off key kills before the Yellowjackets would love five-straight points in a 25-23 victory.
- Another back-and-forth battle ensued in the third, seeing both teams maintain the lead midway through the set. Down 13-10, the Yellowjackets saw kills from Hohbein and Hoff while a pair of Saints miscues saw them take the lead at 14-13.
- CSS held on in the third to win 25-22, but the Yellowjackets began the fourth with a vengeance, seeing kills from Taylor Tollefson (Pine City, Minn./Pine City), Peterson and Smith. Coral Cook (Shawano, Wis./Shawano) sprinkled two service aces throughout the set, seeing the 'Jackets win 25-17 and forcing a fifth.
- The Saints led 4-0, but six-straight points saw the 'Jackets regain control courtesy of kills from Carlie Lohman (South Range, Wis./Superior), Jamtgaard and Smith. Despite some back-and-forth battle, the 'Jackets came away with a 15-12 win in the fifth.
- Smith led the 'Jacket offense with 12 kills, followed by Peterson and Gentele with eight.
- Once again leading the defensive charge was Savanna Hering (Superior, Wis./Superior), logging 40 digs.
- Lohman had 26 assists while Alayna Schultz (Atwater, Minn./Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City) finished with 17.
Match Two Notes
- In the second match of the day, the 'Jackets took on the Eagles and obtained an 11-7 lead with the trio of Jamtgaard, Smith and Hohbein garnering kills.
- Superior utilized a pair of four-point rallies late in the set to maintain control, and a solo block from Smith solidified a 25-20 win in the opener.
- UW-La Crosse went on a five-point run to lead 12-7, and after the 'Jackets regained their footing and came back, Hohbein, Jamtgaard and Peterson set the tone and gave the 'Jackets a 25-21 victory.
- The third featured more volleying of the lead and points. In a set that could've gone either way, the Eagles went on a four-point run before Superior countered with a six spot to lead 19-18. The Eagles responded and provided five kills in their final six points, forcing a fourth set.
- UWL maintained an early lead and held most of the momentum, leading by as many as six at 15-9. Smith fired to kills before Hohbein slammed one home, but the Eagles responded and capitalized on a few Yellowjacket miscues, forcing a fifth set after taking the fourth 25-19.
- In the fifth, Superior led 8-3 after kills from Jamtgaard, Hoff and a Schultz service ace. The Eagles would attempt to claw back, but costly miscues and final kills from Jamtgaard and Hohbein led to their second five-set victory on the day, winning the finale 15-10.
- Hohbein logged 18 kills, followed by Jamtgaard (eight) and Smith (seven).
- Hering scooped 25 digs, followed by Cook's 16 and Hohbein's nine.
- Lohman led in assists with 24, while Smith (six), Jamtgaard (four) and Hoff (four) led in the blocks department.
- The 'Jackets are now 4-0 in matches they've gone to five sets this season.
The 'Jackets are back home for day two of the Subway Stinger Classic, beginning with a meeting with the Falcons of UW-River Falls. The opening serve is set for 10 a.m. inside the Mertz.
