MILWAUKEE -- The Sabercats started the weekend tournament today with two difficult losses against Beloit and Mount Mary.

Mattie Bumpus tallied 29 kills, Caitrin Kemlo followed closely with 25 kills, and Emily Johnson posted 75 assists on the day.

OVERVIEW

• Results:
  • Maranatha 1-3 Beloit (14-25, 12-25, 25-19, 24-26)
  • Maranatha 2-3 Mount Mary (26-24, 25-21, 23-25, 19-25, 12-15)
• Venue: Bloechl Center, Mount Mary University
• Location: Milwaukee, Wis.
• Attendance: 62, 82
• Records: MBU (9-12), BC (6-15), MMU (7-18)

STORY 

Beloit: The Sabercats began the weekend at the Rockford Invite against Beloit and were outmatched by the Buccaneers. In each of the first two sets, Beloit reached 20 points before Maranatha could put more than 11 on the board. Beloit took the first two sets by scores of 25-14 and 25-12. Mattie Bumpus, Caitrin Kemlo, and Melanie Woller stepped up with multiple kills each in the third set, helping to keep the score close throughout and ultimately take the set 25-19. Maranatha again kept the score close the entire way through the fourth set, but Beloit withstood the Sabercat rally and won the final set 26-24.

In the loss, Kemlo posted 14 kills and Bumpus 12 kills to lead the offense. Emily Johnson tallied 35 assists and 12 digs, while Erica Ureke bolstered the defense with 19 digs.

Mount Mary: After the loss earlier in the evening, the Sabercats looked to Mount Mary, whom they defeated at home last week 3-2. From the first set, the Blue Angels proved they wanted revenge as they forced Maranatha to a tiebreaker, but Maranatha endured as they forced an error followed by a Johnson kill to finish. The second set started well as Maranatha led 18-11, but Mount Mary rallied and kept it close. Jennifer Rueb ended the set at 25-21 before the Blue Angels could tie it again.

Starting the third set, Mount Mary had enough and fought hard. Maranatha battled but lost the lead they had the entire set and lost 25-23. In the fourth set, the momentum had clearly shifted as Mount Mary shelled the Sabercat floor to take it 25-19. In the final set, the Blue Angels proved they wanted it slightly more by erasing a 7-4 deficit and winning 15-12. After starting so well against Mount Mary this season, the Sabercats had finally been bested by them.

In the loss, Bumpus hammered 17 kills, followed closely by Woller and Kemlo with 11 each. Johnson finished with 40 assists and 6 kills, while Ureke led the defense with 26 digs, supported by Megan Miller with 12 digs and Ellie Sopata with a career-high 11 digs.

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MBU Starters (combined): 3- Johnson, 4- Reid, 8- Bumpus, 9- Woller, 13- Bates, 14- Kemlo, 22- Miller, 24- Rueb 

STATS 

• Bumpus: 29 Kills
• Kemlo: 25 Kills
• Woller: 17 Kills
• Johnson: 10 Kills, 75 Assists
• Ureke: 45 digs
• Sopata: Career-high 11 digs
• Last time: Maranatha defeated Beloit 3-2 on September 28
• Last time: Maranatha defeated Mount Mary 3-2 on October 14
• Series: The series between Maranatha and Beloit is now tied 9-9
• Series: Maranatha leads the all-time series against Mount Mary 38-16

OPPONENT

• Beloit competes in the Midwest Conference and the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NCAA DIII)
• Mount Mary competes in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NCAA DIII)

NEXT

The Sabercats continue at the Mount Mary Autumn Classic on Saturday against Calumet and Finlandia at 9:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Follow along at mbusabercats.com/schedule.