Box Score Box Score

Paige Hardy (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing HS) achieved the milestone of 1,000 kills in a comeback victory over the University of Minnesota-Morris Cougars 3-2 in Morris, Minn. on Friday Night. 

This was the third meeting between the Saints and Cougars (12-8, 4-4 UMAC), with the teams splitting the prior two meetings.

The first set was a dead heat between the two teams early.  Tied at 11, the Cougars went on to score nine of the next 11 points for a 20-13.  The Saints were unable to overcome that deficit as Morris went on to take it 25-18.

The second set proved to be the most competitive as the two teams exchanged points the entire way.  Morris was up 24-23 when a Kayla Horbacz (Isanti, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) kill forced extra play, as the winning team needed to win by two points in order to take the set.  The team exchanged a pair of points before the Cougars scored two straight to take the second set 27-25 and go up 2-0.

In the third set, the Saints and Cougars were back and forth once again until St. Scholastica took seven of eight points to go up 20-11.  The Saints would later on extend that lead on their way to a 25-14 win in the third set, cutting the lead down to 2-1 Morris.

The Saints jumped out to an early 5-2 lead in set four, and would never look back.  The lead would grow throughout the set, and the Saints went on to score the last five points, winning the third set 25-15 and forcing a fifth and final set. 

The fifth set started off like the first three, with the teams exchanging points on the way to a 4-4 tie early.  The Saints proceeded to take four straight to push them ahead 8-4.  The teams would then again go back and forth until the Cougars would come back to force a tie at 11.  CSS would fend off the late Cougar threat and take three of the last four points to win the final set 15-12 and complete the comeback, taking the match 3-2.

Hardy led the way for CSS with 23 kills, raising her career total to 1,014.  Hardy also had 20 digs to earn a double-double, while Anna Zyvoloski (Sauk Rapids, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS (Minn.-Duluth)) had a double-double of her own with 23 digs and 14 kills.  Zyvoloski also added nine blocks on the evening.  Nikki Hughes (Lake Nebagamon, Wis./Northwestern HS) had 18 digs and Sarah Kurtovich (Andover, Minn./Andover HS) led the way with 38 set assists. 

The Saints (17-6, 7-1 UMAC) will be back on the court on Saturday when they travel to Aberdeen, S.D. to take on the Presentation Saints (3-19, 2-6 UMAC) at 1 p.m.