ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – After traveling across the country and around the region to tournaments each of the past few seasons, the College of Saint Benedict volleyball team is hosting a tournament of its own this season.
 
For the first time since the 2014 season, the team is hosting the CSB Volleyball Tournament Friday and Saturday, Sept. 7-8. The five-team, eight-match tournament includes MIAC foe Concordia, as well as Simpson, St. Scholastica and Valley City State. There are three matches Friday and five more Saturday. CSB plays two matches each day: the team hosts Valley City at 3 p.m. Friday and Simpson at 7 p.m. Friday, then takes on Concordia at 1 p.m. Saturday in a nonconference match and St. Scholastica at 5 p.m. to wrap up the tournament.
 
Neutral games include Concordia and Simpson at 5 p.m. Friday, Concordia and Valley City at 9 a.m. Saturday, Valley City and Simpson at 11 a.m. Saturday and Simpson and St. Scholastica at 3 p.m. Saturday.
 
Valley City State – an NAIA opponent from Valley City, N.D., has played the most matches so far this weekend and heads into the tournament with a 3-6 record. The Vikings head into the weekend on a two-match winning streak, including a win over the Cobbers on Wednesday. Clarissa Olson leads the team with 68 kills.
 
Concordia is 2-3 and looking to snap a three-match losing streak. The Cobbers have played some tough competition, including Wartburg and No. 14 Northwestern, so far this season. Haley Cuppett leads the team with 51 kills and Jill Klaphake has a team-high 92 assists.
 
The Storm are 2-3 overall and on a two-match winning streak heading into the tournament after wins against Macalester and Grinnell. Morgan Taylor and Madison Hawtrey each have at least 40 kills to their names, and Ariana Martinez has 78 digs.
 
The Saints started 2018 in California where they finished 1-3 with a 3-2 win over Union (N.Y.) to end the trip. Brooke Schermann has 39 kills, Espi Austvold has 79 assists and Taylor Thompson leads the team with 52 digs.
 
Saint Benedict is 3-2 heading into the weekend and looks to get back in the win column after a tough five-set loss to UW-Eau Claire Wednesday in Claire Lynch. CSB was up 2-1 and looked to be on its way to a win in set four, but the Blugolds stormed back to take the set and the match. Hunter Weiss leads the team with 55 kills and Madison Weiss has 46, and the duo is first and second in the MIAC in blocks as Madison has 36 and Hunter has 28. Hunter is currently second in the league in kills.
 
After hosting a tournament this weekend, CSB is back at home to open MIAC play Wednesday, Sept. 12, when it hosts St. Kate's before hitting the road for the UW-River Falls Tournament.