STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The College of Saint Benedict volleyball team wrapped up its weekend at the UW-Stevens Point Tournament Saturday with another split. CSB, which is now 4-4, started the day with a 3-0 sweep of Aurora, but lost 3-0 to conference rival Bethel in a nonconference match to end the weekend.
 
The first set against Aurora was a close one Saturday morning as the Spartans went from a 24-20 deficit to close the gap to 24-23, but Megan Pekarek ended the set with a kill for a 25-23 CSB win. Saint Benedict went on to win the second set 25-16 and the third set 25-21.
 
Briana Schmiesing finished with a match-high 17 kills for CSB, which had 40 total kills. Pekarek, who was named to the all-tournament team, had 29 assists and nine digs, and Meghan Koop led the team with 16 digs. Haley LaValle also added 10 digs.
 
After getting down 8-2 to No. 12 Bethel early in the first set, and later 15-5, CSB fought its way back against the Royals thanks to kills for Lauren Mathews, Briana Schmiesing and Meghan Koop. Kills from Liz Schultz got CSB within 22-21 and then 23-22, and a Bethel attack error tied the score at 24, but the Royals took advantage of a CSB service error and then a Saint Benedict attack error to take the first set 26-24. The Royals won the second two sets 25-15 and 25-16.
 
Schultz finished with 11 kills for CSB to bring her weekend total up to 48. Lauren Mathews added eight kills, and Pekarek had 25 assists and eight digs. LaValle led the team with 10 digs and Koop and Melissa Koop each added nine digs.
 
CSB is back in action Wednesday, Sept. 14, when it hosts St. Thomas in its first home game of the year. The game starts at 7 p.m. in Claire Lynch.