By Teddy Menor

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ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The Saint Benedict volleyball team improved its record to 11-5 with a conference record of 4-0. After a 3-0 win over St. Catherine in their last match, the Blazers have nine consecutive set wins to start the conference season. CSB faces off against Saint Mary's at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, at Claire Lynch Hall.
 
About the Cardinals: The Saint Mary's volleyball team also has a record of 11-5 with one loss in conference play against St. Thomas. After starting the season with a record of 5-1, the Cardinals lost four straight matches before going on a six-game winning streak. They will bring this momentum into their match against the Blazers with hopes of continuing their success through their stretch of conference matchups.
 
Last Year: The last time these two teams met, the Blazers walked away with a 3-0 sweep over the Cardinals. After starting the night with a 25-19 win, the Blazers fought hard to push through two more close sets. The Blazers finished with a 25-21 win followed by another 25-19 win. This successful night was powered by players who all return to the team this year. Mary Franz led the offense with 11 kills and Lexi Rinde and Sophie Stangl added ten and eight kills, respectively. Stangl also ended the night with five blocks and Laura Schmitt added another 11 digs and seven kills.
 
The Storyline: The Blazers put up big numbers the last time they faced off against the Cardinals and will be looking capitalize on this experience. They also have the momentum of three consecutive wins to help them push through their third straight MIAC matchup. The Blazers also have three more conference games in less than two weeks, including a game against St. Thomas, and will be looking to build more momentum as they head into the second half of the season.
 
Who to Watch: Laura Schmitt leads the Blazers with 169 kills this season with Mary Franz adding another 130. Franz also leads the team with 42 total blocks. Taya Kockelman is currently leading the MIAC with 10.93 assists per set and Victoria Nass sits in fourth place in the MIAC with 304 digs. Kockelman was named MIAC Setter/Libero of the Week and Sports Import/AVCA Division III Player of the Week after averaging 14.5 assists per set last week.
 
Last Time Out: In their last time out, the Blazers swept St. Catherine 3-0 in St. Paul. The Blazers took an early 25-14 win in the first set and continued with a 25-12 win in the second. In the third set, St. Catherine played tough, but the Blazers walked away with a 25-20 win to end the night.  Bailey Rykken led the offense with 13 kills and Laura Schmitt added another 11. Schmitt also led the defense with 18 digs and Victoria Nass finished with another 16.