WINONA, Minn. – Junior Liz Schultz had a double-double to lead the College of Saint Benedict volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep of Saint Mary's Friday night.
 
Friday's win in Winona marked the third straight win – and the third straight sweep – for CSB, which is now 8-6 overall and 3-1 in the MIAC. Saint Benedict won 25-19, 25-19 and 25-23.
 
In the first set, CSB took an early lead against the Cardinals (11-6, 2-2) and never looked back. The Cardinals cut the gap to three, 10-7, early, but Megan Pekarek and Briana Schmiesing had kills to push the lead back to five. Late in the set kills from Lauren Mathews and Schmiesing kept SMU at bay, and a kill by Pekarek ended the set.
 
The two teams went back and forth early in the second set, and the Cardinals led 13-10 before Liz Schultz had three kills and Haley LaValle had a service ace to put CSB up 14-13. Saint Mary's tied the set at 15-15, but Schultz had four more kills to put CSB up for good.
 
In the third and final set CSB led by as much as seven, 11-4, early in the set, but Saint Mary's took advantage of two straight CSB attack errors and a bad set to get within three, 11-8. CSB stopped the run and was able to stay ahead of the Cardinals the remainder of the set. SMU got within one several times near the end of the set, including 24-23, but a kill from Schultz ended the set and the match.
 
Schultz finished with 14 kills and 11 digs for CSB, which had 42 total kills. Schmiesing added nine kills and Hunter Weiss finished with eight. Pekarek had 30 assists, 11 digs and five kills, and LaValle added 10 digs for CSB. Mathews tied a career-high with eight block assists, and Schultz added five block assists for CSB – which had 23 block assists.
 
Brandi Blattner led Saint Mary's with 13 kills. Brittney Hanson had 23 assists and Clare Tack led all defensive players with 18 digs.
 
CSB is back on the road Saturday, Sept. 30, when it takes on Carleton at 3 p.m. in Northfield.