PRESQUE ISLE, ME

The UMPI Women's Volleyball team got a much needed win—and a conference win at that in a home doubleheader against VTSU-Johnson. The Owls and Badgers split the twin bill,  but the Owls won the first matchup which counted as a league game.

Match 1: 3-1 Owls

How it Happened:

UMPI got started with their most dominant set all season long, though it started out fairly 50/50. The Owls got kept stringing things together mini runs to take a lead at 11-6, and their first big spurt came with Evelyn Elijah's serve as the Owls went up 16-7. UMPI was able to ride that lead and continued to keep control, closing it out for a 25-12 score.

In set two, Johnson completely flipped the script, as they went up big at 11-3 which would be a tough deficit for UMPI to surmount. Johnson would ride the wave of this run and hold on despite UMPI's bids to get back into, as the Badgers finished it out 25-16.

The pivotal third set the Owls did exactly what they needed to do and took an early lead. A five point run made it 6-2, and the Owls would then try to keep the Badgers at bay the rest of the way. Some big Johnson runs almost got them back to a tie game, but UMPI stood their ground and never let them tie it. Johnson surged late to make it 22-21 Owls, but UMPI dug deep and finished the set strong to win 25-23.

In the final set, the Badgers started out hot, leading 5-1 and for a brief moment it looked as though the math was destined for a fifth set. But UMPI refused to let that happen as it did against Husson a week prior.  UMPI responded with a 6-1 run to take the lead at 7-6. It'd go back and forth from there as teams traded points, until UMPI made another 5-0 run to go up 15-11. UMPI would have the edge the rest of the set, though they'd again fend off a determined Badgers team who brought it within two points at 22-20. But UMPI did what they needed to, winning the final three points to win 25-20, and the match 3-1.

Top Performers:

It was a true team effort as UMPI everyone had a hand in the win. Nyla Guiboche and Bailey Rosentreter led the team with five kills, while Mia Gutierrez had four. Maubi Mateo had five aces with Brooke Gardner having four. Rosentreter had a pair of blocks as well. Brooke Gardner led in assists with 16, and Maubi Mateo had 18 digs, along with Nyla Guiboche logging 16 to support her.

Match 2: 3-1 Badgers

The second match was a much different feeling from the very get-go. The Badgers played some of their best ball of the whole day in the first couple of sets. They took set one 25-19 and put together a big run late in the second set to go up 20-12. UMPI didn't give up however, and battled back to within a point at 23-22, but Johnson never surrendered their cushion, winning 25-23.

Facing a 2-0 deficit, the Owls didn't roll over. They took a commanding 14-5 lead, and kept the Badgers from coming back from there, winning the third set 25-16. But Johnson would spoil the party in the 4^th set as they turned an 11-7 Owl lead into a 15-11 lead of their own. That 8-0 run would be short lived as UMPI went on an 8-1 run later on to go up 21-19, which made it look like another fifth set was a forgone conclusion, but Johnson ended the match on a high note, finishing with the final six points to win 25-21, and the match 3-1.

Top Performers:

Mia Gutierrez led in kills in the second match with 9. Nyla Guiboche had six while Bailey Rosentreter also had six. Hailey Saylor made her name known with three service aces while Brooke Gardner joined her with the same amount. Evelyn Elijah and Rosentreter both had two blocks each. Brooke Gardner again had 16 assists, and Maubi Mateo had 24 digs to lead UMPI once again on the defensive side.

Next Up:

The Owls will get right back to it on Saturday, with another doubleheader. They will face VTSU-Lyndon for an 11am start time. Match one will be a conference matchup.