Winning in Morris

From left: UMM Cougars volleyball players Lindsey Markel, Kylee Hansen (4), Bekah Morris (16) and Marissa Ekness following the conclusion of their playoff match against U of W-Superior.

I spent my Wednesday night out west at the University of Minnesota-Morris, my old stomping grounds, while my daughters and I took in a very exciting college volleyball playoff match. My UMM Cougars defeated the University of Wisconsin-Superior in a 3-0 sweep. They're heading to the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) volleyball championship for the fifth year in a row! Wowza!!! My newspaper's sports department got it all on tape to share with players' families.

*This clip begins with game three tied at 23-all...the Cougars were fighting for a conference playoff sweep, while the Yellowjackets were fighting to prevent one:


Game three was especially exciting, on the heels of two sets where UMM easily handled UW-Superior. The Cougars came back from a 17-8 deficit to tie it at 19-19! They ended up winning the set by a 27-25 score.

Time for bed! I have more to post in the morning. I hope some of you who are reading this can remember my publisher's column in the October 19 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice. The column features a very special volleyball player at UMM, and it ties into the biggest job I have of being a father of four kids - particularly my daughters. If you read the column, it will give all the missing context to the reason why on earth we were in Morris in the first place - during what has been hands down the busiest stretch I've had in my (almost) three years of owning a newspaper. The player referenced is one of three seniors on the team. She ROCKED the court tonight with 14 kills, eight digs, four ace serves and one solo block. One of the other three seniors is one of Division III's best liberos who hails from a Padua-area dairy farm. (Fun fact: her big sister is a former Princess Kay of the Milky Way.) She made digging look easy! Some of the toughest attacks from the Yellowjackets were brought back in the air with ease for a perfect pass. It was marvelous to watch!

Tomorrow I'll be starting in "Part II" for that Oct. 19 column and highlight the wonderful time my daughters and I had in Morris tonight. My hopes are that it will be published in my Nov. 9 issue. I have much more to write in this series! If you are a parent, you will understand when I say that a parent will go to the ends of the earth in support of their children. (For me I didn't go that far...just 40 miles to Morris!)

You can read a condensed version of the newspaper column at my newspaper's website:
http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com/story/2017/10/19/opinion/a-warrior-in-life-and-an-inspiration-to-others/528.html

The UMM Cougars take a 26-7 record into the UMAC finals this Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul. The UNW Golden Eagles (31-6) are the top seed and the top-ranked team in Division III's Central Region.

And...in terms of our own B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team! Make sure you get your car pools planned for the Little Falls trip! Our Jaguars need our support! I'll be there with my camera equipment and also with the pep band!
What: Sub-Section 5A-South finals
Where: Little Falls high school
When: 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 2
Who: our B-B-E Jaguars vs. the Royalton Royals

##ConquerEveryDay