ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict volleyball team dug itself a bit of a hole Wednesday against St. Thomas.
In one of the team’s biggest matches to date, CSB found itself down 13-6 in set one to the Tommies, and though it made a comeback, eventually fell 25-20. Then, senior Lauren Mathews took over. She had seven kills in set two alone and a big solo block in set three to help CSB defeat the Tommies 3-1. For her big game – and her play to help her team finish the week 4-0 – Mathews is this week’s CSB Athlete of the Week.
Mathews had seven kills and a block assist as part of an 11-0 CSB run in set two against UST to help the team take a 22-15 lead, another kill put her team up 23-16 and a solo block by Mathews put Saint Benedict at set point before winning the set 25-21 to tie the match 1-1.
She added six kills, including a big kill at the send of set three to give CSB a 24-23 lead and the momentum to take the final point and a 2-1 lead in the match. When all was said and done, Mathews finished the match with a team-high 16 kills and seven total blocks to help the team to its first win over the Tommies in Claire Lynch since 2004.
Mathews was just as good in a trio of games over the weekend. She had nine kills against both Hamline and Loras, and 12 kills in a sweep of Luther Saturday afternoon. She also had four blocks against both the Pipers and Duhawks, and finished the week with 46 kills and 17 total blocks, including five solo blocks.
This season, Mathews – an All-MIAC First Team selection as a sophomore – is fourth on the team with 123 kills and third with 50 total blocks.
Mathews and her CSB teammates are at home for a pair of matches this week in one of the team’s quietest weeks so far this season. Saint Benedict hosts Minnesota-Morris at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, and Saint Mary’s at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28.
