SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus volleyball team is set to face Saint Benedict in the second round of the MIAC postseason at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Gusties, who earned the No. 1 seed after claiming their fourth consecutive MIAC Regular Season Championship, will take on No. 4 seeded Saint Benedict at Gus Young Court for one of two semifinal matches to be played on Thursday.

The Gusties (20-9, 11-0 MIAC) compiled their third consecutive undefeated conference record, while the Bennies (13-11, 8-3 MIAC) finished fourth in the MIAC and earned a spot in the semifinal via a 3-2 win over Augsburg (16-14, 7-4 MIAC) on Tuesday. The other semifinal features No. 3-seeded Bethel (20-8, 9-2 MIAC) at St. Catherine (19-8, 9-2 MIAC), who also earned a first-round bye as the conference regular season runner-up. The highest remaining seed following both semifinal matches will host the championship on Saturday.

TICKET INFORMATION

All tickets for the 2024 MIAC Playoffs will be sold and purchased online via HomeTown Ticketing. There will not be cash sales at any venue; however, spectators can purchase tickets using a mobile device, including while at the venue. Tickets are available for purchase immediately. General admission adult tickets are $12 (plus HTT service charge). Student (with ID) tickets are $3 (plus HTT service charge), and children ages five and under are admitted free.

GUSTIES IN THE MIAC PLAYOFFS

The MIAC Volleyball Playoff Championship was established in 2000, and since then, Gustavus has made 14 appearances in the tournament with a record of 14-8 and six championships, including the last three. The Gusties' six titles are the most among current MIAC institutions, with St. Thomas still holding the record at seven. Last season, the Gusties convincingly swept St. Catherine 3-0, before playing in one of the most thrilling matches to date on Gus Young Court against St. Olaf, defeating the visiting Oles 3-2 to punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. 

SERIES HISTORY

Thursday's match marks the 68th meeting between Gustavus and Saint Benedict on the court with the Gusties leading the all-time series, 37-30. The match will be the sixth postseason competition between the two teams. CSB holds a 3-2 advantage in the MIAC Playoffs, defeating Gustavus in the 2006 semifinals, 2011 quarterfinals, and 2014 quarterfinals. The Gusties have won the last two playoff meetings in the 2018 championship and 2022 semis. The Gusties are 16-10 when playing the Bennies at home, and have won the last six matches, including a 3-1 decision in St. Joseph on Oct. 26.

EARLIER THIS FALL

Saint Benedict dealt the Gusties their first conference set loss of the season on Oct. 26, but the Gusties rallied to close things out 3-1 with a convincing 25-14 set four victory in St. Joseph.

Gustavus opened the match with a 9-3 run, led by three straight kills with Macie Malchow (Fy., Sioux Falls, S.D.) on the serve and a Sophia Deyak (So., Iowa City, Iowa) block to force an early CSB timeout. The Gusties never took their foot off the gas, holding the Bennies at arm's length, building their lead to as many as eight. Saint Benedict cut the advantage in half, but a 5-1 run highlighted by a pair of kills from Leah Berg (Jr., Kenyon, Minn.) ended set one, 25-15.

Saint Benedict led a number of times in the first few serves of set two, but a kill from Deyak and block from the sophomore middle and Berg ushered the team back into the set. CSB regained the lead once more, 8-7, but a service error followed by a Sydney Timm (Jr., Lakeville) ace put the Gusties back on top. A pair of Gustavus kills and a Bennie attack error ended the set 25-22 for a 2-0 Gustie lead. 

Despite three quick points for the visitors in set three, CSB rattled off nine consecutive points, five of which came on service aces, for a 9-3 advantage. Gustavus battled back, going on a 7-3 run of their own, but it only brought them within two of the Bennie lead. The home team delivered six more points on four kills and a pair of attack errors to deliver the Gusties their first conference set loss in 385 days (3-1 win at Hamline - Oct. 7), 25-14.

Unfazed by the fourth set force, Deyak opened things strong for the Gusties with a monster kill past the Bennie defense to set the tone. With Mara Holland (Jr., Decorah, Iowa) on the serve, the Gusties claimed six consecutive points to open the fourth set. CSB brought the lead within three, but the combination of a balanced attack and Holland on the serve helped Gustavus double the Bennie points with a 12-6 run. A CSB service error ended the match for the Gusties with a 25-14 set four victory, helping the team pick up its eighth conference win. 

Berg and Deyak led the Gustie offense, each with 13 kills. Lauren Klaith (5th, Rockford, Minn.) added 10, while Kasie Tweet (5th, Adrian, Minn.) collected 37 assists and 14 digs. Tweet and Malchow each had a pair of service aces, while four other Gusties chipped in for a total of eight on the serve as a team. Tweet's 14 digs were the most for the squad, while Olivia Stockham (Jr., Big Lake, Minn.) and Brynn Smith (Sr., Brooklyn Park, Minn.) each tallied 13. 

SCOUTING THE GUSTIES

The Gusties have gone the last 45 days and 11 matches without a loss, defeating nine conference opponents, as well as UW-River Falls and Luther. Gustavus is averaging 14.1 kills per set while allowing 12.3 against, hitting .244 compared to a .173 clip from opponents. The tandem of Klaith and Tweet have led the offensive charge, while a balanced back line led by Maren Sundberg (Jr., Eagan, Minn.) has held conference opponents to minimal points against the Gusties.

GIVE THEM FIVE

The MIAC announced its 2024 Volleyball Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 13, and the Gusties collected seven honors, headlined by Kasie Tweet and Rachelle Sherden, who repeated as the Offensive Player and Coach of the Year. Joining Tweet on the All-Conference list were Lauren Klaith, Maren Sundberg, Sophia Deyak, and Leah Berg. The Gusties led all institutions with five total All-MIAC selections.

11:11…11

The Gustavus volleyball team was the first in recorded MIAC history to compile three consecutive undefeated MIAC seasons. The Gusties dropped just two sets in league play this season. Since 2022, the Gusties have conceded only nine sets to conference opponents, collecting 25 3-0 sweeps.

MAJOR MILESTONES

A number of Gusties have reached significant career milestones this season, led by Tweet who became the program's all-time assist leader on Nov. 2. Among active Division III setters, she ranks second with 4,601 career assists, a mark that puts her 13th in any division of NCAA volleyball players. Klaith became the 17th player in program history to reach the 1,000 kill mark, largely achieved in her last three seasons, on Oct. 16. Defensively, Sundberg became the fourth player in program history to surpass 1,500 career digs on Oct. 5. 

HOW TWEET IS THAT

Kasie Tweet compiled one of the best seasons and careers in Gustavus volleyball history, which is a significant statement considering the long-standing success of All-American setters like Nora Holtan '19 and Deb Jungwirth '86 in the program. In her fifth and final season, Tweet has directed the Gustie offense with 1,061 assists – her fourth consecutive 1,000-assist season. She is averaging 10.94 assists per set and 37.9 per match, both career highs for the Adrian native. She also has 24 blocks, 50 kills, 33 aces, and 267 digs, which helped her become just the third player in program history on both the assist and dig career leaderboards.

LAUREN KILL-AITH

Lauren Klaith has posted dominant numbers for an outside hitter, leading the efficient Gustie offense with a total of 400 kills in the regular season, averaging an even 4.0 kills per set and 13.8 per match. The Rockford native is hitting .299 overall, adding 16 aces, 87 digs, 31 blocks, and a team-leading 435 points to her stat line. In conference play, Klaith's 4.26 kills and 4.80 points per set were both league-leading marks. Her efforts helped the Gusties create one of the best attacking units in the country, ranking fourth in NCAA DIvision III with 14.07 kills per set.

CAN YOU DIG IT?

Maren Sundberg has anchored a balanced Gustie defense, leading the team with 496 digs this season. Behind her is Tweet with 267, Smith with 226, Stockham with 192, and Payton Auseth (Sr., Chaska, Minn.) with 153. The Gusties rank 24th in Division III with 18.70 digs per set. Individually, Sundberg ranks in the top-40 of all NCAA DIII liberos with 1,680 career digs to her name. 

WEEK BY WEEK

The Gustie volleyball team collected a league-high eight MIAC Athlete of the Week honors this season. Tweet led the squad with four selections, while Klaith added three, and Malchow collected the first of her career. The Gusties have collected at least one weekly award for the last six weeks of the season. Tweet was also named the AVCA Division III Player of the Week on Nov. 5, becoming just the second player, and the only among current MIAC institutions, to receive the honor twice in her career. 

SCOUTING THE BENNIES

Saint Benedict finished its regular season 12-11 with an 8-3 record in the conference. The Bennies have dropped only one match on their home court, and are 4-6 on the road. Saint Benedict is averaging 12.5 kills per set with a .176 attacking percentage. Kali Jones, McKenna Moehrle, and Mackenzie Knofczynski have led the CSB offense, each with more than 200 kills. Audrey Spolidoro has trailed Tweet as one of the best setters in the conference, totaling 9.76 assists per set this season. The Bennie defense features a trio of players with more than 300 digs, led by Chaeli Haupert. 

EIGHT FOR FIVE

Eight of the Bennies matches this season have gone to five sets, including their last two, both 3-2 victories. The team's playoff contest against Augsburg was a match of ups and downs, starting with a 28-26 set one win, followed by an Augsburg 25-8 trouncing of the Bennies. Saint Benedict won sets three and four, 25-23 and 25-13, before claiming a spot in the semifinals with a 16-14 set five victory. 

SETTING SPOLIDORO

Senior Audrey Spolidoro has certainly left her mark on the Saint Benedict volleyball program, ranking sixth in its history with 3,412 career assists. She's collected 1,076 career digs, and is just the third CSB student-athlete to reach 3,000 assists and 1,000 digs. Spolidoro also has 92 career service aces and 122 total blocks with 382.5 points. This season, she ranks second in the MIAC and 25th in NCAA Division III with 9.76 assists per set.