MANKATO, Minn. – After a slow start in set one, the No. 12 Gustavus volleyball team bounced back in a decisive manner, claiming a 3-1 road victory over Bethany Lutheran on Tuesday night. The Vikings claimed the first set, 25-21, but the Gusties systematically found their groove, winning the final three sets, 25-10, 25-16, and 25-23.
BLC took home court advantage to start, as the Gusties struggled to run an efficient offense from the first serve. The two teams exchanged the lead eight times with 14 tie scores, but six attack errors and five service errors ultimately plagued Gustavus in set one. Bethany pulled away in the final four points, as a Gustie service and attack error, followed by two Viking kills, put the home team up 1-0.
Sophia Deyak (So., Iowa City, Iowa) was the difference maker in set two, leading the Gusties to a lopsided victory to get back on track. The set started as a back-and-forth exchange of points, until Deyak stepped up to serve, delivering two aces and helping the Gusties to five consecutive points for a seven point lead, 10-3. The sophomore also closed the set out on the serve, getting a pair of kills as well as two Bethany attack errors to even the score and one set apiece, 25-10.
Set three followed suit, as Gustavus claimed a 25-16 victory to take the lead. An efficient attack and an impressive performance from
Sydney Timm (Jr., Lakeville) put the team within one of victory. The Vikings once again hung with the Gusties to start, trading points a number of times and even taking the lead midway through the set, 11-10. The Gusties were unfazed, though, as an 8-1 run returned the lead to the visitors, leaving the Vikings in the rearview mirror. Timm collected seven set three kills on 10 attempts for a .700 attacking percentage, as well as an ace, a dig, and a block.
Despite the Vikings best efforts, the Gusties kept the match to four sets, closing things out with a 25-23 victory for the 3-1 final. The Vikings cut the Gustavus lead to one point four times and had three early leads, but it wasn't enough to tame the Black & Gold, as a balanced defensive effort and four blocks sealed the win.
Lauren Klaith (5th, Rockford) ended the match with a monster kill off the Viking libero for the team's sixth win of the season.
Both Klaith and Timm tallied 18 kills, while Deyak chipped in 13. Deyak and
Brynn Smith (Sr., Brooklyn Park) both tallied a pair of service aces, while MIAC Athlete of the Week
Kasie Tweet (5th, Adrian) was just two assists shy of her career-high, set last Saturday against UW-Eau Claire, with 59 against the Vikings.
Olivia Stockham (Jr., Big Lake) and
Maren Sundberg (Jr., Eagan) led the team's defensive efforts, with 15 and 14 digs, respectively.
Gustavus, now 6-2 overall, has a series of top national match-ups on the docket over the next two weekends. The Gusties start with UW-Stevens Point Friday, before facing No. 5 Emory and No. 13 Northwestern Saturday at the UNW tournament in St. Paul. The following weekend, the team will face three more nationally-ranked teams at the Wash U Invite.
