The fourth-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth opened up its season with a three-set sweep over Wayne State (Mich.) University on Friday morning, coming back later that afternoon for a tough-fought 3-1 victory against No. 9 Wheeling Jesuit University at the Courtyard by Marriott Volleyball Classic in Tampa, Florida.

No. 4 UMD (2-0) dropped its first set of the day in the first against the Cardinals, holding the Bulldogs to just a .243 attack percentage while hitting .308 themselves, handily taking the set 25-17. The second set was back-and-forth to an 8-all tie when UMD scored the next seven points, getting three kills by junior middle Sydnie Mauch and a pair by junior outside Taylor Wissbroecker in the span. In an about-face from the first game, UMD hit .333 in the second and defended far better, holding WJU to an .138 hitting mark.

The Bulldogs scored the first three points of the third set, but the Cardinals would knot the score at 5-5 and later 9-9 before UMD again scored three straight and held off Wheeling the rest of the way, eventually taking a 2-1 lead with 25-20 third-set win. The Cardinals looked poised to send the match to a decisive fifth set taking the advantage in the early points, but the Bulldogs scored eight straight points to leap the score from 12-9 WJU to 17-12 in UMD's favor. Three straight errors by the Bulldogs closed the gap to 17-15 before head coach Jim Boos called a needed timeout. The break worked perfectly as UMD would hold pace and knock off Wheeling Jesuit 25-19 for the four-set victory. After the slow first set, the Bulldogs would steadily improve and hit .310 in the match.

The biggest question mark coming into the weekend would be who would take over the libero position for the Bulldogs, and first-year player Erin Schindler stepped in dutifully, collecting 29 digs in the match and 40 on the day to lead UMD defensively. Senior setter Ashley Hinsch, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's 2015 Preseason Player of the Year,  lifted 58 assists and 86 in total on Friday. Wheeling Jesuit was paced by a 13-kill effort by junior middle Haley Kindall. Junior setter Andrea Thobe had 36 assists while her sister, Jessica Thobe, led the way with 20 digs.

On the attacking front, Mauch finished with 16 kills in the match, but senior outside hitter Mariah Scharf collected 17 to lead UMD. Mauch added five blocks in the match to finish with eight on the day.

UMD 3, WAYNE STATE (MICH.) 0
No. 4 UMD made short work of the Warriors by scores of 25-19, 25-16, 25-18 on Friday morning. The Bulldogs came out of the gate slow offensively, hitting just .206 in the first set, but improved steadily in the three sets eventually hitting .286 with 42 kills in the match-up, led by Scharf's 12 in the match and 29 on the day. Hinsch collected 31 assists while Schindler added 11 digs in her collegiate debut to go with five assists. The Bulldogs were also tough at the net as Hinsch, Mauch and Monica Turner each knocked back three blocks on the day.

UMD never trailed in the first two sets, jumping out early on the Warriors and holding the rest of the way. Wayne State took an early lead, up 5-3 on the Bulldogs in the third set and leading as late as 10-9 but the Bulldogs took control after knotting the score at 12-all, scoring eight of the next ten points to finish off the Warriors in short order. Junior middle blocker Mikayla Shell led Wayne State offensively with eight kills, while freshman setter Maddison Smith had 23 assists for the Warriors. Freshman libero Ellie Rodriguez led all players with 14 digs.

OUTSIDE HITS
UMD is now 4-0 against both Wayne State and Wheeling Jesuit in the schools' all-time series ... in addition to Schindler, the day saw the collegiate debut of first year middle Sarah Kelly who posted 14 kills in two matches ... Wissbroecker posted a career-high 12 digs against Wheeling Jesuit, collecting 17 kills on the day ... junior defensive specialist Teal Tomaszewski also set a new career pace with 10 digs against the Cardinals.

The Bulldogs return to the court in Tampa tomorrow morning, taking on No. 24 Western Washington University before facing the host No. 1-ranked University of Tampa later in the day. UMD and WWU will open serve at 11:15 a.m. Central time.