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ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict volleyball team kicks off the 2015 season tonight with a match against the University of Northwestern. The Blazers play at home starting at 7 p.m. in Claire Lynch Hall, and are looking to start their season with a home win.
 
About the Eagles: After a great season last year, the Eagles are looking to continue this success after graduating four players. Last season, the Eagles finished with a record of 24-11 and went undefeated through conference play with a 14-0 record. After winning the UMAC title, they went on to win their first round of the NCAA National Tournament against the No. 13 ranked Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves.
 
Last Year: Last season, the Blazers finished the season with one win and one loss to the Eagles. In their first match of the season, the Eagles walked away with a 3-2 win in CSB Labor Day Tournament. Later in the season, the Blazers came back to take a 3-1 win over the Eagles in the UW-Eau Claire Tournament.
 
The Storyline: After finishing 1-1 last season, both teams will be looking to walk away with a win in the tiebreaker. Both teams are also coming back from successful seasons in 2014 and will be looking to gain momentum early in 2015. While the Eagles are only missing four players from their last season, the Blazers graduated seven and are looking to show that they have filled the roster with successful underclassmen.
 
Who to Watch: Senior Laura Schmitt will be taking over the offense after finishing last season with a team high of 339 kills and the first All-MIAC honor of her career. Senior Mary Franz will also be leading the defense coming off a season where she totaled 91 blocks. Sophomore Megan Pekarek will take over at setter for the Blazers. Pekarek transferred to CSB from UW-Parkside, an NCAA Division II program.
 
Last Time Out: The Blazers finished their 2014 season with a 3-0 loss to No. 6 UW-Stevens Point in the first round of the NCAA Division III National Tournament. The Blazers started the night with a 2-205 loss in the first set followed by a 25-21 loss in the second set. From here, the Blazers fell in the third and final set by a score of 25-22. Laura Schmitt finished the match with seven kills and 15 digs and Gabi Narvaez finished with two service aces.