Duluth, MN.- The Saints hosted their last game of the 2024 season on Friday, November 8 at 7 p.m. This game was hosted in the Reif Gymnasium located in Duluth, MN, and played against Hamline University. The Saints came out victorious on their senior night with a 3-1 win over the Pipers.
How it Happened
Set One
Set one started with intense back-and-forth battles until the Saints tied the game at 3-3 with a kill from
Katlyn Jones (Bloomer, WI/Bloomer HS).
Lindsey Baribeau (Biwabik, Minn./Mesabi East HS) and
Ava Swangstue (Grand Forks, N.D./Red River HS) added two more kills for the Saints, putting them in the lead early, at 6-4.
Jones had back-to-back kills after two long rallies to put the team ahead 11-10.
Jones stayed hot for the Saints with another kill recorded and a service ace to follow and continue the momentum at 15-13.
Mikala Peterson (Mora, Minn./Mora HS) showed her skill with two kills late in the set, helping the Saints hold their lead (19-18).
After three errors from the Pipers, the Saints could close the game 25-20 after a block from Jones.
Set Two
The speed was not slowed for the Saints as they came in hot to set two with a lead of 3-1 after an intense kill from Jones.
Baribeau was able to stop the Hamline run at 4-3 with a kill from the middle that could not be blocked.
The Saints continued on their path to victory with a five-point serve run from Jones where she recorded a service ace. This run was continued by the Saints defense,
Bryn Ziegler (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson HS), and a block from
Grace Myhre (Aberdeen, S.D./Aberdeen Central HS) and Swangstue.
Emma Fretheim (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville HS) stepped up for the Saints to end another Piper run and earned a kill to tie the game 11-11.
With Fretheim behind the line for a four-point run, Peterson stayed active in the front row to continue the momentum and earn another kill (14-11).
The speed and intensity on the Saints' side continued to push forward and helped them maintain the lead. Baribeau then earned consecutive kills to put them ahead six at 19-13.
A solo block from Swangstue was enough to end the set between the Saints and Pipers with a 25-19 victory for the Saints.
Set Three
After a slow start to set three, the Saints were able to benefit from the Pipers' mistakes and tie the game at 7-7. Peterson was also able to record another kill for the Saints side.
Jones was making her best efforts to find a place for a kill and was able to capitalize on the gaps in the Piper defense twice to close up the scoring between the teams and leave the Saints down only by two.
After many long rallies both Peterson and Baribeau were able to gain two more kills each and brought the score to 18-23.
The Saints were ultimately defeated 25-20 in set three and headed to the fourth set against the Pipers.
Set Four
A kill from Baribeau restarted the fire for the Saints in set four as they tied the set 3-3.
With a service ace from Ziegler, the Saints were again in line with the Pipers at 7-7.
The Saints began to trail the Pipers at 10-7 but this did not last long as Baribeau and Peterson recorded two kills for the Saints to put them behind one.
Lustig found another hole in the block for the Pipers and tied the game at 12-12.
The set would continue to be back and forth for points as both teams fought to come out with a victory.
The Saints pulled ahead late in the set after a kill from Myhre put them ahead two (16-14).
With two consecutive kills from Baribeau the Saints were the first to the 20's and lead the set 21-18.
A three-point run for the Saints, and an ace from
Lauren Kahl (Ridgeland, WI/Prairie Farm HS), finished the set 25-20. The Saints claimed the victory of the match 3-1.
