SAINT PETER, Minn. – The No. 23 nationally ranked Gustavus Adolphus College volleyball team battled the College of Saint Benedict Bennies at home Thursday night in the MIAC Playoff Semifinals, falling 3-2 in a five-set marathon.
The Bennies led 15-11 in the opening set until a 7-1 run by Gustavus gave the Gusties an 18-16 lead. Saint Ben's responded with a 3-0 run to go back up 19-18, but Gustavus answered with a 5-1 run to take a 23-20 lead. The Gusties secured the set with back-to-back kills by
Logan Brent and
Leah Berg to take the set 25-22 and go up 1-0 in the match.
With the second set tied 13-13 midway though, Gustavus used a 5-1 run to take an 18-14 lead. The Bennies responded with a 6-0 run to go up 20-18. The two teams battled to 22-21 with the Gusties trailing by one, but then Saint Ben's went on a 3-1 run to take the set 25-22 and tie the match up at 1-1.
In the third set, the Bennies broke an early 6-6 tie with a 7-2 run to take a 13-8 lead. Gustavus won the next two points, but Saint Ben's then won seven of the next eight to go up 20-11. The Gusties battled back to pull within five points down 23-18, but the Bennies closed out the set with a pair of kills to win it 25-18 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
A five-point run by Saint Ben's put Gustavus behind 13-6 in the fourth set, but the Gusties responded with an 8-1 run to tie the set up at 14-14. The Bennies won four of the next five to retake the lead up 18-15, but then Gustavus caught fire to win nine consecutive points to take a 24-18 lead. Two points later, a kill by Brent secured the 25-19 set victory for the Gusties to tie the match up at 2-2 and force a fifth set.
In the fifth set, Saint Ben's worked their way to an early 6-3 lead. Gustavus clawed back to win five of the next six points to take an 8-7 lead. The Bennies answered with a 5-1 run to go up 12-9. The two teams traded points back and forth until the set reached 13-11 with the Gusties down by two. Saint Ben's closed out the set and match with back-to-back points to secure the 15-11 set win and the 3-2 match victory.
The Gusties will now await the NCAA Selection Show which airs on Monday, November 17 to see whether or not their 2025 season will continue into the DIII Volleyball Tournament as an at-large bid.
