SAINT PETER, Minn. – In a rematch of last season's MIAC Playoff Championship, the Gustavus volleyball team swept St. Olaf (16-7, 4-4 MIAC) in another classic thriller between the two conference rivals. With only one set decided by more than two points, the Gusties (16-9, 7-0 MIAC) overcame a number of deficits and Ole runs to claim the victory on their home court.
St. Olaf reentered Gus Young Court on a mission to deliver the Gusties their first conference loss, starting set one with a 6-0 run on four Gustie attack errors and two Ole kills.
Leah Berg (Jr., Kenyon) dug the Gusties out of their hole, setting the team back on track and back on the scoreboard for their first point of the match. The Gusties stormed back into the set with a kill from
Lauren Klaith (5th, Rockford) and a trio of Olaf attack errors to cut the deficit to two. Both teams exchanged points and the lead, until a 5-0 Gustavus run, on the back of Klaith, put the Gusties up 18-14. Gustavus held St. Olaf at a four-point lead for the next few serves, until a 5-0 Ole run tied the score at 22 apiece. Kills from
Sophia Deyak (So., Iowa City, Iowa) and
Macie Malchow (Fy., Sioux Falls, S.D.) ended set one 25-23 in favor of the Gusties.
Of the three sets, the second was the only the Gusties didn't have to overcome a series of early Ole runs, as Deyak picked up right where she left off with a kill for the first lead of the set. The Gusties dished the Oles a taste of their first set medicine, taking the early advantage, but St. Olaf battled back, claiming their first lead of the set at 9-8 thanks to an 8-3 run with four kills. The two teams played to a deadlocked score three more times, but a balanced attack and kills from five different Gusties, including four out of the hands of Berg, helped the team to a 25-20 set two victory.
Set three was a classic battle between the two MIAC powerhouses, with the Oles taking control early, leading by as many as nine, including a score of 13-4, thanks to seven kills from the Ole offense. Gustavus slowly chipped away at the lead, getting three kills each from Berg and Deyak to climb back into the game and cut the lead to single digits with a 17-10 run. Within two at 23-21, St. Olaf brought the set to match point off a kill, but the Gusties returned with one of their own from Klaith and forced two Ole errors to tie the score 24-24. Each team fought to set point once more, but a kill out of the hands of
Sydney Timm (Jr., Lakeville) – just as she had done in last year's MIAC Championship – sealed the set and the match with a 28-26 Gustie victory.
Three Gusties hit double-digit kills, led by Klaith with 16. Deyak totaled 14 on a .400 hitting efficiency, while Berg added 12. MIAC Athlete of the Week
Kasie Tweet (5th, Adrian) collected 44 assists and 16 digs for the double-double, while three more Gusties collected more than 10 digs on defense. The team hit .260 and held the Oles to a clip of .152, never reaching .200 on the attack in any set.
The Gusties are back in action for a quick turnaround and road trip, heading to Saint Benedict (8-10, 4-2 MIAC) for a MIAC showdown at 5 p.m. in St. Joseph.
