ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – A few weeks ago, Bethel swept the College of Saint Benedict in a nonconference matchup at the UW-Stevens Point Tournament. Saturday, CSB not only avenged that loss, but also picked up a key MIAC win against the Royals.
 
CSB improved to 7-7 overall and 2-1 in the MIAC with a five-set win against the No. 18 Royals Saturday afternoon on Bethel's home court in Arden Hills. CSB won the first set 25-23, lost 25-20 in the second, won the third set 25-22 to take a 2-1 lead, but lost 25-18 in the fourth set before winning 16-14 in the fifth and final set.
 
After a back and forth first set, a Bethel attack error and a kill from Meghan Koop gave Saint Benedict the two-point win. Bethel led 18-10 in the second set before CSB mounted a comeback and used kills from Briana Schmiesing to get within 20-17 and then 20-18, but the Royals held on for the win.
 
Late kills from Liz Schultz and Schmiesing gave CSB the win in the third set, but Bethel came back to win the fourth set to force a fifth and final set. After a kill from Cami Hoover to start the set, Bethel went on a 6-0 run to go up 6-1, but Hoover and Schmiesing each had kills to keep CSB in the match, and a service ace from Lauren Mathews got CSB within one, 11-10. The Royals held their lead, but kills from Schmiesing and Schultz tied the game at 13-13, and after tying the game at 14-14, kills from Ashley Trustheim and Koop ended the match in Saint Benedict's favor.
 
Schmiesing finished with 13 kills to lead CSB, which had 62 total kills. Hoover finished with 12 kills, Schultz 11 and Trustheim 10. Junior setter Megan Pekarek finished the day with a career-high 55 assists, and she also had six digs. Haley LaValle led the defense with 22 digs, Koop added 20 more, and Liz Waugh (14) and Melissa Koop (11) also hit double-digit digs.
 
CSB is off now until Friday and Saturday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, when it hosts a pair of MIAC matches. Saint Benedict takes on Saint Mary's at 7 p.m. Friday and St. Olaf at 3 p.m. Saturday.