ST. PAUL, Minn. – Wednesday's win against the University of St. Thomas had been a long time coming for the College of Saint Benedict volleyball team.
 
Almost six years coming.
 
The Blazers, who are receiving votes in the latest AVCA poll, beat rival St. Thomas 3-1 in the first MIAC game of the year for both teams Wednesday night in St. Paul. The win marks the Blazers' first victory against St. Thomas since Oct. 14, 2009.
 
Since that date in 2009, CSB was 0-9 against UST. Prior to the 2009 win – also a 3-1 victory in St. Paul – it had been another five years, and another nine matches. The Blazers were 0-9 against UST between 2004 and 2009.
 
Wednesday's victory over the Tommies was the first for head coach Nicole Hess in her five-plus seasons with the Blazers, and it marked the first win over UST for any current Blazer. The seven seniors who graduated in 2015 never beat the Tommies.
 
The Blazers, coming off a 2-2 performance in Boston, including two five-set losses to top-15 teams in Division III, started out strong in the first set. After going on a run to start the match, CSB pulled away and held on for an eventual 25-18 victory.
 
CSB (5-4, 1-0 MIAC) was just as good in the second set, coming out strong and taking a 6-1 lead, then pushing that lead to 11-3. The Blazers led 22-9 after a kill by Megan Pekarek, and then held on for a 25-14 victory to take a 2-0 lead heading into the third set.
 
The Tommies fought back in set three and it was a close match throughout. St. Thomas took a 10-7 lead, but CSB came back to tie the game on a kill by Lauren Mathews and a service ace by Meghan Koop. CSB tied the game again at 16, but the Tommies pushed their lead back to five, 23-18, and were able to hold on for the 25-20 victory.
 
After losing in the third set, CSB came out and went on a 6-1 run to start set four. The Blazers pushed their lead to 17 – 21-4 – and won the match on a kill by Laura Schmitt to take the fourth and final set 25-9.
 
Schmitt finished with a match-high 17 kills to lead CSB, which had 51 total kills. She also had 14 digs. Mathews added nine kills and Meghan Koop finished with eight. Pekarek had 36 assists, and Koop led the Blazer defense with 17 digs. Megan Barta added 15 digs and Gabi Narvaez finished with 12.
 
CSB returns to action Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18-19, at the Wartburg Tournament in Waverly, Iowa. The Blazers play Coe at 5 p.m. Friday, Buena Vista at 10 a.m. Saturday and Wartburg at noon.