SAINT PETER, Minn. – The No. 21 nationally ranked Gustavus Adolphus College volleyball team battled the Hamline University Pipers at home Saturday night in their regular season finale. The Gusties celebrated their senior day before the match, recognizing each of them for all they have done for the program. In the match that followed, Gustavus fell 3-2 in five sets to the Pipers.
Gustavus and Hamline battled neck and neck in the opening set. The Gusties reached set point up 24-23, but the Pipers won the following point to survive. Gustavus then went up 25-24 for their second set point, but Hamline responded with a three-point run to rally and take the set 27-25.
The Gusties opened the second set with a 7-0 run. Gustavus ran away with the set, leading by as many as 15 points up 23-8 en route to a 25-11 set win to tie the match up at 1-1.
In the third set, the Gusties battled the Pipers while holding a lead through most of the set. Hamline pulled to within one point down 17-16, but Gustavus closed the set on an 8-2 run to go up 2-1 in the match.
The fourth set was another back-and-forth battle. The Gusties led 20-19 late in the set, but the Pipers finished strong to take the set 25-22, tying the match at 2-2.
In the fifth set, Gustavus jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, but Hamline used a 4-0 run to go up 5-4. It was even from there on, reaching a 10-10 tie. At that point, the Pipers went on a 4-1 run to reach match point up 14-11. The Gusties won two more points to stay alive, but ultimately fell 15-13 in the final set as Hamline took the match 3-2.
Up next for the Gusties is the MIAC Playoffs as they are set to host a semifinal match on Thursday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m.
