ST. PAUL, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict volleyball team's nonconference schedule has been filled with tough opponents to start the 2021 season, and Tuesday night was no exception.
 
The Bennies made the short trek to St. Paul to take on 18^th-ranked Northwestern-St. Paul, and despite a second-set comeback, Saint Benedict fell 3-1 to the Eagles by scores of 25-17, 22-25, 25-12 and 25-16. CSB is now 1-7 overall as it heads into MIAC play next week.
 
In the first set, the Eagles (7-1) jumped to an early lead, but kills from Sophie Kobienia and McKenzie Galvin and a block from Gabby Heying and Emmie Gumaelius got the Bennies within one at 14-13. From there, however, Northwestern rattled off eight of the next nine points to go up 22-14, and were able to close out the set with the win.
 
UNW jumped to an even larger lead at 8-2 in the second set, but a kill from Emma Guest and a block by Madelyn Gregory and Guest cut that lead to three, 10-7. Gregory and Guest both added kills, and a kill from Gumaelius and a block from Gumaelius and Heying got CSB within one, 14-13, and a kill from Heying tied the set at 16-16.
 
Two kills from Galvin and an Eagle attack error gave CSB its first lead of the set at 19-18, a pair of service aces by Heying made it 22-18 and a kill from Gregory and two attack errors gave the Bennies the set win and tied the match 1-1. The next two sets were all Northwestern, however. The Bennies combined for 15 kills in the final two sets while the Eagles had 29.
 
Heying led the team with eight kills and three total blocks, Guest added seven kills and Galvin finished with six. Audrey Spolidoro had 15 assists and Payton Marker had 12, and sophomore Mackenzie McDonald paced the defense with 28 digs.
 
The Bennies are off now until Wednesday, Sept. 22, when they open MIAC play at home against Hamline. The match starts at 7 p.m. in Claire Lynch.