ASHLAND, Wis.– The Northland College Volleyball team was defeated in its home opener 0-3 (5-25, 15-25, 22-25) by the University of Minnesota Morris Friday night in Ashland, Wis.
 
Cougars came out of the gates swinging scoring the first seven points of the match. Northland could not find an answer in the opening set as they were topped 5-25. Leah Allan and Ellison DeZwarte had the kills for the LumberJills with Allan totaling two and DeZwarte having one.
 
Set two started much better for the Jills taking an early 3-1 lead with Allan and Britta Josephson scoring off the attack. Seven straight points by the Cougars had them sitting at a five-point lead. UMM extended the lead to seven but Northland did not back down scoring the next four points with kills from Kennedy Gruhlke, Allan, and Josephson. That was the last run Northland had of the set and UMM closed out the second on a 7-to-1 rally.
 
Northland put together its best set of the season. To start, points were traded until the set was tied at six. The Jills then went on their best rally of the season scoring eight of the next nine points, capped off with a Josephson kill. After the large rally, the Cougars began to chip away at the lead eventually going ahead 17-16. Northland continued to battle but fell in the final set 25-22.
 
Allan led the attack for NC with 11 kills on 42 total attacks, and Josephson was behind her with six. DeZwarte and Gruhlke had the other kills at three and one respectively. Kodie Rempp assisted on 17 bringing her season total to 127. Josephson had both of the Jills service aces coming on back-to-back points.
 
Josephson, Allan and Hannah Peel were all one dig away from one another with Josephson leading the team with 13. The Jills had their most amount of blocks in a match with four coming from Rempp and DeZwarte with two assisted, Allan and Lily Zapp with one assisted and Josephson with one solo.
 
Northland continues the home stand tomorrow (Saturday) when they host Crown College at 11 a.m.
 
Northland College is an NCAA Division III institution located in Ashland, WI. The LumberJacks and LumberJills sponsor 14 varsity sports and compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, Midwest Lacrosse Conference, and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.