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The Saint Benedict volleyball team is currently on a three-game winning streak MIAC play, with the biggest match-up of the year finally here. Played in Claire Lynch Hall at 7 p.m., the 10th-ranked Blazers host the third-ranked University of Saint Thomas. The two highest ranked teams in the conference, the Blazers enter at 14-1 overall with a 3-1 record in conference play, while the Tommies enter at 13-1 on the year, with perfect 4-0 mark in MIAC play.
 
About the Tommies: With a record of 13-1 this season, the Tommies are keeping a long tradition of being in the front of the MIAC alive. The Tommies have finished in the top three in the MIAC in 20 of their last 23 seasons and are currently the highest ranked team in the conference. The defending National Champions, they opened the season ranked No. 1, before their only loss of the season came in their season opener against then No. 6 ranked Emory University. Heading into Wednesday, the Tommies have won 13 straight, with their last five all coming by sweep.
 
Last Year: In three matches a season ago, the Tommies got the better of the Blazers in all three. All were played in St. Paul as well, starting with a 3-0 sweep over the Blazers in the regular season, where the Tommies hit .506 in cruising to the win. The Blazers had the Tommies on the ropes in the MIAC Championship match, winning the first set and holding a 2-1 lead through three sets, but UST was too tough and came back to win the last two sets for the win. Then a week later, in the NCAA Regional Championship, the Blazers again took the first set, but the Tommies came back to win the next three for the 3-1 win.
 
The Storyline: The Blazers are currently sitting with a record of 14-1 and remain undefeated at home with a 6-0 home record. In a battle of top-10 teams, the Blazers will be looking for their first win over the Tommies since 2009, a stretch of five straight matches. The Blazer seniors will be looking for their first win over their rivals, but also need the win to keep their hopes of a MIAC title alive. Already with a loss in conference play, the Blazers can't afford to slip two games behind the Tommies midway through the league schedule.
 
Who to Watch: Taya Kockelman (Minneota, Minn.) continues to lead the country in assists per set, averaging 12.02 per match, and this week, earned her second MIAC Setter of the Week Honor. Lexi Rinde (Minnetonka, Minn.) is second in the MIAC with a hitting percentage of .384 and also leads the team with 150 kills. With 3.49 kills per set, she ranked sixth in the MIAC, while Lexi Alm (Forest Lake, Minn.) ranks eighth with 3.16 kills per set. Alm also has 140 digs on the season, and has posted five double-doubles.
 

Taya Kockelman	Lexi Rinde	Lexi Alm

Last Time Out: In their last time out, the Blazers faced off against the Saint Mary's Cardinals and finished with their 13th sweep of the season. The Blazers held on to significant leads in all three sets finishing with 25-19 wins in the first and third sets. In the second set the Cardinals closed the gap a little bit but the Blazers still took a 25-21 win.