Saturday Live Stats

ATLANTA, Ga. – The College of Saint Benedict volleyball team started its season with a split Friday afternoon at the first day of the Emory Tournament. After sweeping Saint Mary's (Ind.) 3-0 to start the tournament – and the year – CSB fell in a five-set thrilled to No. 25 UW-Oshkosh in Atlanta.
 
After a close first set, Saint Benedict (1-1) was efficient in the next two, sweeping Saint Mary's 25-23, 25-17 and 25-13. Sophomore Briana Schmiesing finished with a match-high 13 kills and Liz Schultz added nine. Megan Pekarek had 28 assists and led the team with 12 digs, Haley LaValle added eight digs and Melissa Koop and Meghan Koop each finished with seven digs.
 
After Oshkosh won a close first set 25-23 in CSB's second match of the day, Saint Benedict came back to win the next two sets 25-20 to take a 2-1 lead on a team that won the WIAC in 2015. CSB had a 24-22 lead over the Titans in the fourth set, but Oshkosh used a kill and a CSB hitting error to tie the game. CSB tied the game at 26-26 on a kill from Meghan Koop, but an Oshkosh kill and another CSB attack error gave the Titans the 28-26 edge. Oshkosh went on to win set five 15-8.
 
Schultz and Schmiesing each finished with 13 kills to lead CSB, which had 55 total kills, and Melissa Koop added 11 kills. Pekarek had 46 assists, and LaValle led the defense with 27 digs. Megan Barta (17), Melissa Koop (17) and Meghan Koop (15) also hit double-digit digs.
 
CSB hits the court twice more Saturday before flying home Sunday morning. Saint Benedict takes on Birmingham-Southern at 10:30 a.m. CDT, then plays host-school Emory – which is ranked fourth in Division III – at 3 p.m.