LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Macalester College volleyball team began play at the UW-La Crosse Tournament on Friday, losing to the host Eagles before beating Simpson College in four sets at Mitchell Hall. The results give the Scots a 5-5 record on the season.

In the day's first match, Macalester dropped the first two sets by the same score of 25-17, then won the third set, 25-18 to stay alive in the match. Junior outside hitters Adisa Preston (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) and Gwen Wooten (Allen, Texas/Allen) had four kills apiece in the set, while junior middle blocker Stephanie Geber (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) and sophomore outside hitter Grace Watkins (San Angelo, Texas/Georgetown) each delivered three kills. The Scots scored the first five points in the fourth set, but the Eagles came back to tie it up. With the score knotted at 13-13, UW-La Crosse (9-3) tallied the next six points and 12 of the final 15 points to win the set, 25-16, and the match.

Wooten led Macalester with a season-high 12 kills, with Preston adding 10 kills and Watkins finishing with eight kills. First year setter Hannah Morrow (Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook) registered 26 assists and a team-best 10 digs. Geber notched four blocks to go with six kills, and junior defensive specialist Torrance Williams (Houston, Texas/Yes Prep Northbrook) added eight digs.

Against Simpson, the Scots took the first two sets, 25-19 and 25-19 to lead 2-0. Geber led the team with four kills in the first set, and Wooten paved the way in the second set with three kills. Macalester trailed for the entire third set but kept it close, with Simpson hanging on to a 23-22 edge before scoring the final two points to win, 25-22. Preston had four kills in the set for the Scots. In the fourth set, the Storm (3-7) looked to extend the match and force a fifth set while building an 18-14 advantage. Macalester was able to battle back to tie the score three times, aided by kills from Wooten and senior middle blocker Anna Fritz (Mountain View, Calif./Mountain View). With the set tied at 22-22, two kills from Wooten wrapped around an attack error by Simpson gave the Scots a 25-22 win to take the match, 3-1.

Preston totaled 10 kills in the victory, with Wooten tallying five of her eight kills in the final set. Geber also registered eight kills to go with four blocks. Morrow dished out 29 assists and had 13 digs, with Williams racking up 19 digs.

Macalester closes out play at the UW-La Crosse Tournament with a match against UW-Stout at 11:00 a.m. at Mitchell Hall.