ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict fell 3-1 to Bethel University in a MIAC semifinal match in Arden Hills, Minn., Thursday night.
 
This marks the second straight year the Blazers, who are now 18-9, have lost in the conference semifinals. Saint Benedict, which moved up to No. 3 in the NCAA Central Regional Thursday, learn their fate for the NCAA Division III National Tournament on Monday when the field is selected. The Royals move on to play Gustavus in the conference championship match at 7 p.m. Saturday in St. Peter.
 
Senior outside hitter Laura Schmitt surpassed the 1,000-dig mark in Tuesday's semifinal match. She headed into the match with 997 digs in three-plus seasons, and finished the night with 18 and now has 1,015 in her career.
 
The Royals, the No. 2 seed in the conference who are 21-8, jumped to big leads early in the first and second sets. Bethel, which is on a nine-match winning streak heading into the title game, jumped to a 15-6 lead in the first set before CSB came back. The Blazers got within six at 22-16, but the Royals won 25-17.
 
The second set started much closer, and the two teams were tied at 13-13, but Bethel put some distance between the two teams thanks to two kills and a pair of CSB errors. CSB got within three, 19-16, but the Royals held on for a 25-20 win.
 
The third set was just as close to start, but a kill from Meghan Koop gave the Blazers a slim lead, and a kill from Liz Schultz and a Royal attack error put CSB up 12-9. A pair of kills from Briana Schmiesing made it 16-12 in favor of CSB, and she added a third kill to put the Blazers up four, 17-13. The Royals got within two, 17-15, but Koop, Megan Pekarek and Schultz all had kills to make it 20-15 in favor of CSB and the Blazers went on to win 25-17.
 
Bethel came out swinging in the fourth set and took a 3-0 lead early. Allison Roehl served four straight points to put the Blazers up 5-3, and CSB held a slim lead until the Royals tied the score at 13-13, then used a kill and CSB attack error to go up 16-14. Two straight kills from Koop tied the match at 16, but Bethel scored three straight points and never trailed again on the way to a 25-19 win.
 
Schmitt finished with 14 kills on top of 18 digs to lead CSB. Schmiesing also had 14 kills and Koop and Schultz each had eight. Koop also had 15 digs and Megan Barta had 14. Pekarek had 44 assists.
 
Carlee Hoppe led Bethel with 15 kills, Kristin Stern added 12 and Tina Hoppe finished with 10 kills and 11 digs. Carla Hoppe also had 15 digs and Kali Johnson had 18 digs.