SAINT PETER, Minn. - The No. 20 nationally ranked Gustavus Adolphus College volleyball team battled the University of Northwestern Eagles, who are recieving votes in the national poll, on Wednesday night. The Gusties took the opening set but fell 3-1 to the Eagles in a closely contested match.
 
In the opening set, the Gusties narrowly led 16-14 until a 5-1 run put them ahead 21-15. Northwestern rallied with a 6-1 run to cut Gustavus' lead down to just one at 22-21, but the Gusties answered with a 3-0 run to clinch the set 25-21.
 
The second set was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading points and runs. Gustavus trailed 23-21 late in the set, but then went on a 3-0 run to reach set-point up 24-23. Northwestern won the next point to tie the set at 24-24. The Gusties reached set point again up 25-24, but again the Eagles survived to tie the set at 25-25. Once more Gustavus reached set-point up 26-25, but once more Northwestern survived to tie the match at 26-26 and this time went on to win the following two points to take the set 28-26 and tie the match at 1-1.
 
The third set was another thriller. The Eagles used a 6-0 run to go up 12-8 early, but the Gusties responded with a 6-2 run to tie the set at 14-14. The set was later tied at 19-19, at which point the two teams began trading points back-and-forth. Gustavus reached set point first up 24-23, but Northwestern won the next two points to reach set point for themselves up 25-24. The Gusties won the following two points to reach set point again for themselves up 26-25, but again the Eagles responded with a back-to-back points to again reach set-point for a second time. Gustavus tied the set once more at 27-27, but Northwestern closed out the set at 29-27 by taking the next two points, going up 2-1 in the match.
 
As was the story of the match, the fourth set was again a back-and-forth hard-fought thriller. Tied at 14-14, the Eagles went on a 5-0 run to go up 19-14. The Gusties responded with a 5-0 run of their own to tie the match at 19-19. Northwestern then won the next three points to go up 22-19. Gustavus fought on and won two of the next three points to pull within two down 23-21, but the Eagles went on to win the next two points to take the set 25-21 and the match 3-1.
 
Leah Berg led the Gusties with 20 kills on .300 hitting. Logan Brent followed with 19 kills, hitting .212. Addison Dirkes hit .583 with seven kills. Macie Malchow orchestrated the offense with 46 assists to go along with 13 digs. Maren Sundberg led the defensive effort with 21 digs.
 
Up next for the Gusties is a trip to Stevens Point, Wisconsin for the Pointer Invitational, beginning with a battle against No. 7 Wash U on Friday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m.
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