Moorhead, Minn. – The University of Jamestown women's volleyball team capped off its fantastic 2026 regular season with its third straight sweep, this time knocking off Minnesota State University Moorhead at Nemzek Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon.
The Jimmies finished the regular season at 19-9 overall and 12-8 in the NSIC. With Saturday's win combined with a loss by Augustana University, the Jimmies secured the No. 7 seed in the NSIC Tournament and will play at Concordia University, St. Paul, on Tuesday night in the quarterfinal round.
The Jimmies got off to a fast start, which included two kills by Lempka, as the visitors took an early 5-1 lead in the first set. However, Moorhead responded with four straight points to tie the score. The teams traded points over the next several rallies, with neither side able to pull away as the score reached 12-12 midway through the set.
Following the tie, UJ rattled off five straight kills, including two each by Gracie Adamson and Lempka and one from Caroline Puetz, to take a 17-12 advantage. The Dragons cut the deficit to three points on a couple of occasions but were unable to overcome Jamestown's run. Lempka delivered the set-winning kill as the Jimmies got off to a strong start with a 25-19 first-set victory.
After posting a .421 attacking percentage the previous day against the University of Minnesota Crookston, the Jimmies carried that momentum into Saturday's match against MSUM, hitting .361 (17-4-36) in the opening set while also recording three service aces. The Dragons were solid offensively as well, attacking .258 (11-3-31).
The Dragons held a 5-4 lead early in the second set before UJ went on a 5-0 run, fueled by two kills each from Adamson and Kyleigh Schopp. Kate Wiebesiek also contributed three assists during the stretch. However, Moorhead answered with a run of its own, winning seven of the next eight points to reclaim the lead at 12-10.
MSUM later held a 20-17 advantage, putting the Jimmies in danger of dropping the second set, but the Orange and Black had other plans. A Wiebesiek service ace gave the Jimmies a 21-20 lead, and they weren't done there. Four of the next five points also went Jamestown's way as UJ closed the set on an 8-1 run. Schopp played a key role in the comeback, with the NSIC leader in blocks recording two block assists and adding a kill as the Jimmies took the second set 25-21.
The Jimmies were blocked six times in the second set, contributing to a slightly lower attacking percentage of .238 (19-9-42), while the Dragons hit .276 (10-2-29). UJ used three service aces and two blocks to help secure the second-set victory.
The third set was tightly contested early on, with the score knotted at 11-11. Puetz, Addison Ertz and Lempka each recorded two kills during Jamestown's opening 11 points. Shortly afterward, Puetz delivered a kill from the right side to spark a small but important 4-1 run, giving the Jimmies a 15-12 lead.
Much like the second set, Jamestown took control late in the third to close out the match. With the Jimmies holding a narrow 18-16 advantage, seven of the final eight points went to the visitors in an incredibly efficient offensive finish for UJ. Ertz and Adamson helped cap off the regular season with three kills each down the stretch as the Jimmies completed the sweep of Moorhead to finish their weekend 2-0.
UJ recorded its best attacking percentage of the match in the third set at .462 (20-2-39), while the Dragons posted their lowest mark at .220 (13-4-41). The Jimmies also added three blocks in the final set.
Despite playing just three sets, Adamson nearly matched her career high in kills with 18 while also recording two service aces and five digs. Lempka was borderline unstoppable, finishing with 12 kills and an impressive .786 (12-1-14) attacking percentage. Ava Bertsch orchestrated the offense with 23 assists and contributed defensively with eight digs.
Jamestown's defense at the net was led by Schopp and Kallyn Grove, who each recorded four block assists. NSIC digs-per-set leader Sophie Ketterling finished with 22 digs in her final regular-season match.
The overall attacking numbers favored the Jimmies, who finished at .350 (56-15-117), while the Dragons hit .248 (34-9-101). Jamestown also held significant advantages in kills (56-34), assists (51-31) and digs (52-39).
Next on the schedule is a win-or-go-home matchup for the Jimmies as they visit No. 2 seed Concordia-St. Paul in the quarterfinal round of the NSIC Tournament. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10.
