The tenth-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth returned to the court Saturday morning to take part in a Top 10 battle with host and eighth-ranked Ferris State on the second day of the Ferris State Invitational.

UMD (4-0) jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead in the opening set before FSU (1-2) ran off five straight points to take back the lead. The Bulldogs battled to a score of 19-18, when head coach Jim Boos was forced to take a timeout. UMD was able to grab an advantage from this team meeting, following the timeout by scoring six of the next nine points for a first set victory. As she did yesterday, sophomore outside hitter Makenzie Morgen led the Bulldogs out of the gate by recording five kills in the opening set.

UMD faced a deficit for much of the second set, although able to stay within striking distance as Ferris State never held more than a five-point lead. After pushing back to a score of 22-23, the Bulldogs were unable to go any further as Ferris State took the set by a score of 25-23. The third set went back in the favor of UMD, grabbing a 25-17 victory. The set remained close up until the Bulldogs, up by a score of 18-16, rallied off seven of the next eight points to take the overall lead in the match.

After grabbing the 2-1 lead, UMD was unable to finish off Ferris State, who defeated the Bulldogs in a close 25-22 fourth set. UMD came out firing on all cylinders in the decisive fifth set, taking the first seven points to open up a comfortable lead. Ferris State wasn't ready to quit though, as they went on a run of their own by grabbing nine of the next 11 points to bring the match to a 9-9 tie. The score jumped back and forth until Ferris State had a match point opportunity at a score of 14-13. Junior middle blocker Allison Olley came through in the clutch for UMD, recording a kill and a block on two of the final three points on her way to clinching the 16-14 victory for the University of Minnesota Duluth. Sophomore right side hitter Sarah Kelly led the team with 17 kills, also adding three assists and nine digs. Four other Bulldogs tallied double digit kills – Olley (13), Morgen (10), senior outside hitter Taylor Wissbroecker (10), and senior middle blocker Sydnie Mauch.
 
UMD 3, LAKE SUPERIOR STATE 0
UMD made much quicker work of Lake Superior State University (1-3), sweeping the Lakers in three sets. With just a 10-9 lead in the first set, the Bulldogs rallied for five straight points to build a comfortable lead over LSSU, highlighted by seven kills on eight attempts by Mauch. Freshman setter Emily Torve grabbed seven assists in the opening set.

The Bulldogs were near perfect in the second set, downing LSSU by a dominating score of 25-3, which is a program record for largest margin of victory in a set. UMD went on momentum changing runs of 10 and nine points to power through the set. The Lakers were held to hitting just -.417 (three kills, 13 errors on 24 attempts) in the historic set by UMD. In the final set, the Bulldogs clinched the sweep by knocking off the Lakers 25-21. Mauch, Morgen, and Kelly finished with nine kills each to tie for the team lead while hitting an impressive .412 overall. Kelly hit a career high .727 on the match.

THREE BULLDOGS NAMED TO FERRIS STATE INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
UMD's standout performers were recognized for their exceptional weekends, as Morgen, Kelly, and Olley were named to the All-Tournament Team. Morgen finished the weekend with a team-leading 46 kills (3.07/set) on 141 attempts and also added 51 digs, good for second on the team. Kelly hit an efficient .317 with 45 total kills (3.00/set), while Olley recorded 35 kills (2.33/set) and led the team with 13 total blocks. The Bulldogs tied for the most All-Tournament performers with three (Winona State also had three).
 
UMD will be back in action next weekend in the Wisconsin-Parkside Tournament in Kenosha, Wis. The Bulldogs open the tournament with a rematch against Lake Superior State next Friday (Sept. 9) at 12 p.m.