Staff photo by Travis Rosenau The University of Minnesota Morris’ Anna Molstad (18) goes up to block Martin Luther College’s Lydia Feidt (13) during an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference volleyball match at MLC on Friday night.

By Jeff Meder

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM — The University of Minnesota-Morris swept Martin Luther College 25-15, 25-19, 25-19 on Friday in a Upper Midwest Athletic Conference volleyball match.

The two teams met in Morris on Oct. 17, where the Cougars swept the Knights. However, there was one difference this time because the Knights had improved since that match.

“I’m happy with the growth that we showed tonight,” MLC head coach Emma Holzhueter said. “I’m proud of the progress that the team has made.”

The entire match was one that was fought at the net. There was very good blocking, setting and returns by both teams. One team would get either a double or a single block at the net, only to have the other team return the favor with a block of its own.

Things looked good for the Knights in the first set because they led for roughly the first quarter of it. But the Cougars grabbed the lead and didn’t look back. Laura Wellbrock and Brooke Christensen got a double block to give UMM a 19-11 lead. Several plays later, UMM’s Maggie Jones got a tip, a block and a kill on the next play to give the Cougars the first set.

Hannah Willems’ kill and Lauren Paulsen’s kill gave MLC an early 2-0 lead in the second set. Willems and Grace Kieselhorst got a double block for a 3-0 Knights lead. MLC led for about one-quarter of the second set. The Cougars clawed their way back, regained the lead and continued to build upon it to take the second set.

The Knights repeated its success in the third set by leading for a good portion of the set. Just when the Knights appeared to have held off the Cougars, the Cougars staged a comeback to tie it at 17-17. UMM regained the lead when MLC missed the ball at the net.

Mary Cate Ziembiec’s kill made it 21-18 for UMM. Two plays later, Jones got another kill. McKenzie Newton got a tip, which made it 23-19 for the Cougars. Ziembiec and Jones teamed up for a double block, which made it 24-19. Jones’ kill on the next play added an exclamation point to the set and the Cougars earned the set and the match sweep of the Knights.

“You can’t be off against a good defensive team (like UMM),” Holzhueter said. “They don’t let much get by them.”

The match featured a total of 10 ties and five lead changes. It was tied three times in the first set, once in the second set and six times in the third set. There was one lead change in both the first and second sets and three lead changes in the third set.

Kylie Wolf led MLC with 13 set assists and three digs. Kieselhorst had seven set assists, six kills and five digs. Paulsen added seven kills.

MLC (8-15, 4-7) will host Crown at 1 p.m. on Saturday.