The University of Minnesota Duluth Volleyball team improved to its second home victory of the season and a 6-0 start, with six players getting five or more kills through a quick three-set match (25-15, 25-13, 25-12) at Romano Gymnasium in the second match of the Up North Preseason Tournament.

Junior right side Madeline Guetzkow led the team and match in kills with nine and was second in block assists with three. Johnson followed close behind with seven kills, a team-leading two solo blocks, and career highs in both points (13) and aces (4).

Sophomore setter Ava Jones kept the team on pace with 32 set aces to overtake the Panthers' combined 15. Junior Madison Reed led the team in digs for the second day in a row with 15, where again it was over double what the top Panther recorded (7).

The Bulldogs incrementally increased their hitting percentage over the quick three-set game, with a final of .5 in the last set compared to Adelphi's 0.0. All in all, UMD eclipsed the Panthers in multiple categories including 58-20 on points, 39-17 on kills, 10-2 on aces, 9-1 on blocks, and helped each other to 37 assists.

What began as a neck-and-neck battle through each team's first seven points it soon became a steady and determined breakthrough by the Bulldogs. The tide shifted in UMD's favor when they pulled away by eight points to a 20-12 lead on an 8-3 run between the efforts of senior Kylie Broten, sophomore Xada Johnson, freshman Mollie Rupp, and freshman Karsyn Winchell. The Panthers wouldn't gain on the Bulldogs, ending the first set at 25-15.

UMD did not let up in the second set, keeping Adelphi down 15-5 in a lightning start. The Bulldogs continued to keep the Panthers on the back foot, only allowing eight more points in the second set for another trouncing 25-13 set victory.

The Bulldogs' rhythm looked to tune down at the start of the third as both teams kept pace with each other, 5-5. However, the maroon and gold sprang out ahead on a 7-1 run to mark a 12-6 lead. From then on, the Panthers could not stop UMD as they reached another colossal 25-12 set and match victory in their largest scoring gap of the day.

The undefeated Bulldogs face Northern Michigan University for the final Up North Preseason Tournament match tomorrow at 12 p.m. back in Romano Gymnasium.