Notables
-With the win over the Vikings, CSS now moves into full control of fifth place with two UMAC matches left
-CSS has now won 18 straight over Bethany Lutheran, improving to 21-8 in the overall head-to-head matchup
-Houser recorded 20 kills and nine blocks on the day
-UWRF outscored CSS 26-9 in the final 35 serves of the second match
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The College of St. Scholastica volleyball team hosted the Bethany Lutheran College Vikings Saturday afternoon, as well as the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons in triangular fashion at the Reif Gymnasium. The Saints earned a much-needed victory over Bethany Lutheran at 3-1, while dropping their non-conference match versus River Falls by a score of 3-2.
CSS 3, BLC 1
The Saints entered the day tied with Bethany Lutheran for fifth at 6-7 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) standings, and with only three conference matches left for each team, playoff implications were at an all-time high.
CSS took the lead early in set one, thanks in part to two quick kills from
Brooke Elvehjem (Mora, Minn./Mora HS) to jump out ahead 3-1. Bethany responded with a few kills of its own to take the lead at 5-4, but it was all Saints from there on out. St. Scholastica scored eight consecutive points, with three kills coming from
Madissen Burns (Watertown, Minn./Watertown-Mayer HS) and two from
Emily Bounds (Hill City, Minn./Hill City HS) to take a commanding 12-5 lead.
The remainder of the set was a back-and-forth affair, with plenty of Bethany errors helping out the Saints. The set ended on a
Brooke Schermann (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) kill to give CSS the 25-14 victory.
The second set started much like the first, with both teams exchanging points for quite some time. Bethany found themselves up 16-13 after a kill from Megan Rutt. A bit later in the set, with the Vikings leading 21-16, the Saints found some momentum after a
Christaia Houser (Esko, Minn./Homeschool) kill and fought to within three at 21-18. The momentum was quickly taken away, however, as the Vikings scored four straight points to close out the set with a 25-18 win.
Four consecutive errors committed by the Saints in set three helped Bethany Lutheran jump out to an early 7-3 lead over CSS. The Saints battled back, scoring four straight themselves to tie it up at 8-8. The teams then exchanged points until the scoreboard read 13-13. The game of runs then continued, as it was first the Saints stringing together a 5-0 run to take the lead at 18-13. The Vikings came right back, answering the run with a 4-0 of their own to come within one at 18-17. Moments later, after both teams had scored a few more times, Elvehjem finished off set three with a kill to win 25-21.
In set four, the Saints scored seven of their first 11 points off Bethany Lutheran errors. Houser and Elvehjem then connected on back-to-back kills to bring CSS in front 13-8. The teams then exchanged points until a late Viking run occurred that gave them a slim 23-22 lead over the Saints. Schermann and Bounds answered the Viking run with kills to take the lead back at 24-23. A Viking defensive error on the ensuing serve gave the Saints the match and sole possession of fifth place in the UMAC.
The Saints had two members eclipse the double-digit mark in kills, with Elvehjem (12) and Houser (10) playing quite well. Houser also recorded five blocks, while
Espi Austvold (Spicer, Minn./New London-Spicer HS) accumulated 42 assists.
The Vikings were led by Megan Rutt, who recorded 13 kills and five blocks in the four sets.
UWRF 3, CSS 2
The beginning of the match against River Falls couldn't have started any better for CSS, as they jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first set. The Saints increased that lead to nine after Bounds knocked one through the Falcon defense to put CSS up 14-5. That would be the same difference when Bounds sent the final point of the set down onto the court, as they took set one 25-16.
The second set started very similar, as once again the Saints came out of the gates red hot, building an 8-1 lead in the early going. The lead was still seven when Schermann connected for a kill to give the Saints a 12-5 lead. River Falls, unlike the first set, didn't roll over for the Saints this time. Instead, they answered with a 6-0 run to come within one at 12-11. CSS answered with a 5-0 run, four of those five points being errors committed by River Falls and the last one coming off a kill from Burns. That run would seal the deal, as the Saints coasted to a 25-18 victory to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Things took a turn for the worse for CSS, as they lost a bit of fire and momentum in set three. River Falls put together a 4-0 run, a 5-0 run, and a 6-0 run at different points within the set to easily win their first of the match at 25-14.
The fourth set proved the be very exciting, with the Saints boasting a 19-14 lead after a kill from Elvehjem. St. Scholastica wasn't able to close it out, however, as River Falls went on an 11-2 run to steal the set from the Saints at 25-21 and force a fifth and final set.
Despite two kills from Houser in the fifth set, the Saints couldn't muster much more as they fell to the full-of-momentum Falcons by a score of 15-7. River Falls ended the match on a 26-9 run through the last two sets, fighting through the tiredness of back-to-back games to defeat St. Scholastica on their home court.
The Saints had a team-high 11 kills from Schermann, while also receiving 10 kills and four blocks from Houser.
McKenzie Orr (Rice Lake, Wis./Rice Lake HS) led the team defensively, recording 20 digs in the five sets.
River Falls was led by Karli Nielsen, who was responsible for 13 kills as well as six blocks for the Falcons.
Up Next
The Saints (11-18, 7-7 UMAC) will now host North Central University on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Reif Gymnasium. If the Saints come up victorious, they will clinch the fifth and final spot in the UMAC playoffs.
