UJ Women’s Volleyball opens spring season with win

Jamestown  (UJ) The top-ranked University of Jamestown women’s volleyball returned to action since winning the GPAC regular season title last November, sweeping NCAA Division 2 University of Mary Monday night at Harold Newman Arena. Set scores were 25-13, 25-11, and 25-12.

Jamestown moves to 19-1 overall while the game was an exhibition for the Marauders.

Jayla Ritter (JR/Forest Lake, Minn.) helped get the Jimmies going in set one, finishing with four kills while hitting .429. Anna Holen (JR/LaMoure, N.D.) and Kalli Hegerle (JR/West Fargo, N.D.) each had three kills in the set, as UJ outhit the Marauders .171 to -.108. Tied at 8-8 in the first, UJ won 10 of the next 12 points, opening up an eight-point lead after a block by Hegerle and Ritter.

Holen provided the hot hand for UJ in the second set, hitting .500 with five kills. Corina Huff (SR/Breezy Point, Minn.) had three kills in the frame, hitting .750. UMary held a 5-4 lead early in the set, but Kadyn Mehring (SO/Carrington, N.D.) started a string of three straight Jimmie kills as part of a 10-2 run that put Jamestown in front for good. Jamestown won 11 of the final 15 points in the set to take a 2-0 match lead.

Huff, Hegerle, and Holen all had three kills and Taylor Sabinash (JR/Kensal, N.D.) added a pair in the third set. Jamestown only hit .175 in the set, but took advantage of four service aces and seven UMary attack errors. Leading 13-6, the Jimmies rattled off nine straight points for a commanding 22-6 lead.

Holen finished with 11 kills while Huff had eight and Hegerle seven. Huff hit a team-high .462 on the night.

Megan Gaffaney (JR/Jamestown, N.D.) passed out 19 assists and Jackie Meiklejohn (JR/Dickey, N.D.) 18. Holen racked up 20 digs while Sydney Ellingson (SR/Langdon, N.D.) was also in double figures with 17. Huff and Hegerle each had three total blocks.

Jamestown travels to Bismarck Wednesday to face the Marauders at 7 p.m.