Box Score MORRIS, Minn. (csssaints.com) – For the third time in the last four meetings against the University of Minnesota Morris, the St. Scholastica volleyball team came from two sets down to defeat the Cougars in five sets on Friday night.

The Saints were two sets down and defeated the Cougars in Morris last season. Then in the UMAC Tournament semifinals last year, the Saints came from two sets down again to defeat Morris in five to advance and ultimately win the tournament.

The Saints jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the opening set, but the Cougars used an 8-2 run to take the lead that they would not relinquish as they took the first set 25-22.

The second set would be tight as well with neither team having more than a two point lead the whole set. Morris recorded two straight points to break a 21-21 tie and they maintained that two point lead to take a two set lead at 25-23.

But as was the case in the UMAC Tournament semifinals and at Morris last year, the Saints would not lie down. CSS would not trail in the third set and took it by a score of 25-23. The Saints would also take the fourth set after going on a 5-0 run early to take control and force fifth-and-final set 25-22.

In the fifth set, Morris (9-6, 1-2 UMAC) took a 10-8 lead, but the Saints would go on a 5-1 run to go ahead 13-11. After both teams exchanged points, Anna Zyvoloski (Sauk Rapids, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral HS (Minn.-Duluth)) recorded her match-high 26th kill to give the Saints the set and the match 15-13.

Both teams attacked well in the final set with the Saints having a match-high .387 hitting percentage and the Cougars with a match-high .407 attack percentage. CSS hit .209 for the match, while the Cougars were at .194.

Freshman Jen Hortness (Little Falls, Minn./Little Falls HS) was in double-figures in kills with 11, including six in the final set. Another freshman Victoria Westlund (Turtle Lake, Wis./Turtle Lake HS) also added 11 kills. Taylor Tyllia (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) had nine kills and Kayla Horbacz (Isanti, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) registered eight kills. Erika Birkeland (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS) had 56 set assists and Danielle Benusa (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS) matched Zyvoloski with a team-high 23 digs. Abby Tietz had 25 kills to lead the Cougars.

The Saints (7-8, 2-1 UMAC) will be at Crown College tomorrow in St. Bonifacius. Action is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.