NORTHFIELD, Minn. - The No. 24 nationally ranked Gustavus Adolphus College volleyball team battled the St. Olaf College Oles on the road Friday night in a conference contest. The Gusties rallied from down 2-0 to push the match to a fifth set, but St. Olaf took the final set as Gustavus fell 3-2.
The Oles took the opening two sets 25-14, 25-17, but the Gusties turned the tide in the third set. Up 10-9, the Gusties used a 4-1 run to take a 14-10 lead. St. Olaf answered with a 5-0 run to retake the lead up 15-14. The two teams battled to 19-19 where Gustavus then went on a 6-1 run to take the set 25-20.
The Gusties leapt out of the gate in the fourth set, winning nine of the first 11 points to go up 9-2 early. Gustavus pushed their lead up to 13 with a 20-7 lead. The Oles used a four-point run to get back within single-digits at 20-11, but the Gusties closed out the set on a 5-1 run to take it 25-12 to tie the match up at 2-2.
In the fifth set, Gustavus won the first three points to go up 3-0 early. The Gusties led by three again up 6-3, but then St. Olaf rallied to tie the set up at 7-7. Gustavus won the next two points to go up 9-7, but the Oles tied the match again at 10-10. The two teams traded points to 12-12, where St. Olaf then won three points in a row to take the set 15-12 and the match 3-2.
Leah Berg led the Gusties' attach with 15 kills.
Macie Malchow orchestrated the offense with 31 assists.
Maren Sundberg led Gustavus with 23 digs.
Up next for the Gusties is a return to Saint Peter for a home match against the Augsburg University Auggies on Saturday, October 11 at 5:00 p.m.
