SAINT PETER, Minn. - In a top-20 matchup of Division III volleyball teams, No. 18 Gustavus dropped a five-set heartbreaker to No. 6 Northwestern-St. Paul on Wednesday night. The Gusties fall to 10-3 overall while the Eagles improve to 6-2. 

After an abysmal first set for the Gusties that saw them lose 25-13 with a -.171 hitting percentage, the home squad turned things around in the second with a 27-25 win. The Eagles held set point at 24-23, but kills from Lauren Klaith (Rockford, Minn.) and Leah Berg (Kenyon, Minn.) tied the match at one game apiece. 

Northwestern rebounded with a third set 25-17 win before the Gusties again traded blows in the fourth for a 25-23 win. The Gusties started the match with a 7-3 lead and never gave up the advantage. The Eagles tied the score three times with the last at 22-22 before kills from Maren Sundberg (Eagan, Minn.) and Marlee Turn (Kennedy, Minn.) paired with an UNW attack error forced a fifth set. 

Gustavus carried its momentum into the deciding fifth set with an early 6-1 lead but the Eagles climbed back to eventually tie the game at 8-8. Three errors and a kill from Madi Kes (Jordan, Minn.) gave the Gusties a 13-9 lead but again the Eagles fought back to tie the score at 14-14. A kill from Klaith gave the home team match point at 15-14, but the visitors got a pair of kills from Abby Glanzer, who finished with a match-high 24 kills, to secure the victory. 

Turn led the Gustie offense with 16 kills. Kasie Tweet (Adrian, Minn.) had 35 assists and Sundberg had 17 digs. 

Gustavus begins conference play Friday night against Saint Mary's. 
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