Nov. 6, 2017
Pekarek named CSB Athlete of the Week
ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – In both the MIAC semifinal and championship matches last week, it would have been very easy for the College of Saint Benedict volleyball team to have given up or gotten frustrated.
CSB got down to both Augsburg and St. Thomas early in at least two sets in each of the five-set thrillers before coming back to win 3-2 against both teams. A calm, steady offense helped Saint Benedict come back both games, and leading that offense was senior setter Megan Pekarek.
Pekarek dished out nearly 100 assists in the two matches and helped her team’s offense rack up 133 kills. For her play in both matches and helping her team win the 2017 MIAC Championship, Pekarek is this week’s CSB Athlete of the Week.
Pekarek and her teammates started the week with a bye in the MIAC Quarterfinals after earning the No. 2 seed. Thursday against the Auggies, CSB took a 2-1 lead, lost the fourth set but won 15-8 in the fifth and final set to earn a trip to the conference championship match. Pekarek recorded 45 assists in the semifinal win and she also had 13 digs, three kills and three blocks. She helped three hitters reach double-digit kills and one more had nine kills.
Saturday in the championship match, Pekarek was even better. She racked up a season-high 53 assists against the 17
th-ranked Tommies, and helped five different hitters reach double-digit kills. She also had 19 digs – a new career-high – marking her 13
th double-double this season. Pekarek’s numbers helped Saint Benedict upset the Tommies – marking their only loss at home this season – and seal the team’s first MIAC title since 2009.
Heading into the national tournament, Pekarek is 26
th in Division III with 10.09 assists per set. She has 1,001 assists, and her 53 assists Saturday pushed her over the 3,000-assist milestone in her CSB career.
CSB starts its 2017 tournament run at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, when it takes on UW-La Crosse at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul.
