ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – A balanced attack in the front row and solid play on defense helped lead the College of Saint Benedict volleyball team to a nonconference sweep of Minnesota-Morris Friday night.
 
Six different players had at least three kills for the Bennies, and three players finished with double-digit digs as the team won 3-0 in Claire Lynch Hall. CSB won 25-17, 25-20 and 25-16.
 
In the first set, CSB (2-0) jumped to a 7-1 lead thanks to a trio of kills from Hunter Weiss and several Morris attack errors. The Cougars (4-2) took a slim lead at 11-9, but a kill from Madison Weiss and two more from Hunter pushed the Bennies' lead to 15-12, and after another quick Morris run CSB scored seven of the last eight points to pick up the win.
 
After a tight start to set two, kills from Emma Guest and Madison – along with a kill from Katie Koch – helped CSB go on a 7-0 run to take a 12-7 lead. The Cougars used a short run to get within 15-12, but back-to-back blocks and then a kill from Madison made it 23-15. Morris went on another short run, but a Cougar service error and then attack error ended the set.
 
CSB got off to another fast start in the third set and took an 11-2 lead on a pair of Morris attack errors. The Cougar offense found its rhythm and got within 16-13, and then 18-15, but a Maurissa Isaacs service ace was part of a 7-1 Bennie run to end the set and the match.
 
Hunter finished with 10 kills to pace CSB while Madison finished with eight kills and four total blocks. Koch had 26 assists and Mackenzie McDonald led the defense with 18 digs. Bridget McDonald added 16 digs and Emma Guest finished with 10.
 
Tori Everson led Morris with nine kills, McKenize Newton had 22 assists and Alyssa Ukestad had 20 digs.
 
The Bennies return to action and return to MIAC play Wednesday, March 31, when they host Augsburg at 7 p.m.