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ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – After finishing 3-1 an the UW-Eau Claire Invite last weekend, the Saint Benedict volleyball team heads back into MIAC play for its last four games of the regular season.
 
The Blazers start their run to the postseason with a matchup against St. Olaf at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, in Northfield. They will go on to face Gustavus the Saturday, Oct. 25, at 3 p.m. in St. Peter. After these games, the Blazers have their last remaining regular-season home game.
 
About the Oles: After starting the season with a record of 2-1, the Oles have only won two straight games one other time this season. The Oles currently sit with an overall record of 9-15 and have gone 2-5 in conference play this year. They have also only had one home win this season and will be looking to finish the season strong as they look forward to the MIAC playoffs.
 
Last Year: The last time these two teams played, the Blazers won by a 3-0 sweep at home. The Blazers held the Oles to fewer than 16 points in all three sets after starting the night with a 25-15 win in the first set. From here, the Blazers took 25-10 and 25-14 wins in the next two sets. Sophie Stangl led the offense with 10 kills and a .600 hitting percentage and Victoria Nass totaled 12 digs in a strong defensive game.
 
The Storyline: The Blazers are 4-1 in their last five matches and will be looking to gain momentum as they head into the MIAC tournament in early November. With just four games left in the regular season, the Blazers have the opportunity to get some more conference wins. Sitting at 5-2 in conference play, the Blazers are third in the MIAC and just two games out of the lead in the conference.
 
Who to Watch: Laura Schmitt leads the Blazers with 272 kills this season with Lexi Rinde adding another 221. Taya Kockelman leads the MIAC with a hitting percentage of .383 and 11.07 assists per set. Also, she is third in the MIAC with 0.45 service aces per set. Victoria Nass leads the defense and is also third in the MIAC with 437 digs this season and Mary Franz has a total of 72 blocks.
 
Last Time Out: In their last time out, the Blazers won a huge 3-0 sweep over No. 15 Trinity University. The Blazers started the night with 25-22 wins in the first two sets and took the third set by a score of 25-21. Laura Schmitt led the offense with 12 kills while Lexi Rinde added another 11. Kockelman finished the night with 38 set assists with five kills and a .500 hitting percentage. Nass also totaled 16 digs. Mary Franz also finished the night with seven total blocks.