Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm High School’s Nataie Yackley tips the ball past a St. James Area player during the Eagles’ home volleyball match with the Saints on Thursday at NUHS.

NEW ULM — After a tough five-set loss to St. Peter on Tuesday, New Ulm High School rebounded with a sweep of St. James Area on Thursday in Big South Conference volleyball action.

The Eagles won 25-21, 26-24, 25-13.

“It definitely gives us the boost that we needed,” Eagles head coach Sarah Swanson-Cullen said of the win. “I think we came into tonight knowing that the previous night we probably could have done better and we didn’t like that outcome, so we didn’t want that same thing to happen tonight. I think we came out harder and just had a little bit more drive and enthusiasm for tonight.”

The Eagles (10-7, 7-2) were balanced in their attack against the Saints (4-14, 1-7), getting 17 kills and eight digs from Maddi O’Connor to lead the way, while Laura Bertrang added nine kills and four blocks. Emma Gieseke also added nine kills, while Ella Landsteiner had five blocks and four kills.

That balanced attack was set up by Natalie Yackley, who ended the night with 42 set assists.

“I think our setters and hitters did a really great job connecting tonight and in all aspects,” Swanson-Cullen said. “Our right sides, middles and lefts all got a chance to put the ball away. We look to our seniors a lot for their ability to put the ball away, and it’s nice to see our upperclassmen but then also those that aren’t seniors being able to do the same thing.”

The Eagles started the first set with an early 11-5 lead before the Saints cut their deficit back down to 2 with a 4-0 run. Late in the set, the Eagles took a 22-15 lead after a kill by Yackley and a Saints violation to force an SJA timeout.

The Saints went on a 5-0 run out of the timeout to then force an Eagles timeout, getting two kills and a block from Addie Bowers during the run. The Eagles kept their composure, however, getting a kill and block from Bertrang to end the set.

The Saints started the next set out more aggressively and got a 6-0 run to lead 8-3, with back-to-back aces by Bowers ending the run. The Eagles got a 5-0 run midway through the set to tie it up at 14-all, with a block by Bertrang and an ace by Yackley ending the run.

The Eagles took a 21-17 lead late after an ace by Graceyn Nesje, but the Saints ended up tying it again late at 24-all. The Eagles were able to grab back-to-back points, however, with an ace by Yackley ending the set and giving New Ulm a 2-0 match lead.

The third set remained close until the Eagles went on an 8-0 run midway through the set to lead 21-11, with a kill by O’Connor ending the run. SJA grabbed just 2 more points after that as the Eagles went on to end the match with a Yackley-to-Bertrang kill.

New Ulm is at Waseca on Monday night for a conference match.