Box Score MORRIS, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica volleyball team went five sets with Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) leader University of Minnesota Morris on Saturday afternoon, but fell to the Cougars 15-7 in the decisive set.

The Cougars (17-9, 9-0 UMAC) took a 12-3 lead early in the first set, but the Saints battled back and got within 21-19 before falling 25-20. After CSS fell behind 4-1 in the second set, it scored 13 of the next 15 points to take control of the set and win it 25-12 and even the match at a set apiece.

The third set was tight throughout with the Saints holding a 19-18 lead. However, Morris recorded four of the next five points and eventually took the set 25-22.

St. Scholastica kept the match alive with a strong latter half of the fourth set. With the fourth set tied at 10-10, the Saints went on 15-4 run to take it 25-14.

In the fifth-and-deciding set, the Cougars scored the first three points and the Saints never got within the two points of Morris as the Cougars prevailed 15-7. Morris had its best hitting percentage of the match in the fifth set at .522.

Kortney Morrin (Grantsburg, Wis./Grantsburg HS (Northern State)) led the Saints with 18 kills and 23 digs. Taylor Orhn (Coleraine, Minn./Greenway HS) added 11 kills and three service aces. Kayla Horbacz (Isanti, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) chipped in with seven kills.  Erika Birkeland (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS) registered 21 assists, while Emily Jansen (Long Prairie, Minn./Long Prairie-Grey Eagle HS) had 19 assists. Abby Tietz led the Cougars with 19 kills.

The Saints (9-13, 5-4 UMAC) will be back at the Reif Gymnasium next Friday when the University of Northwestern comes to town. The action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and can be seen live on Saints Sports Net.