ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict volleyball team looked to set a different pace in front of its home crowd during the first home match of the 2021 season Wednesday against 13th-ranked UW-Eau Claire, but unfortunately the hot Blugolds wouldn't let that happen.
The Blugolds, who remain undefeated so far this season, defeated CSB 3-1 on Wednesday night at Claire Lynch Hall in St. Joseph. CSB drops to 0-4 on the season in non-conference play.
The first set was paced by the Blugolds' red hot offense early on, with a kill from
Gabby Heying to finally break Eau Claire's stride 5-1. Errors would haunt the Bennies the rest of the first set and the Blugolds took set one 25-11.
CSB would turn the tables on the Blugolds in set two, taking advantage of blocks from
Madelyn Gregory and Heying along with a service ace from
Mackenzie McDonald and another kill from Heying to put CSB in an early 5-1 lead. Eau Claire fought back to just one point out of reach 8-7 but the Bennies found the momentum in the end of the set. Three Blugold errors were followed up by back-to-back-to-back kills from Heying,
Emmie Gumaelius, and
Payton Marker to bring the set to 20-11. A final kill from
Olivia Thompson would give CSB set two at 25-17.
Set three would see plenty of back-and-forth points between CSB and Eau Claire. Another service ace from McDonald put CSB up 4-1 in the third set, but the Blugolds went on their own four point run to lead 5-4. A kill from
Sophie Kobienia bumped CSB to lead 13-12 but Eau Claire would then start to run away with a lead to 22-18. The Bennies didn't give up, with two attack errors, another kill from Thompson and another service ace they were able to bring it to 24-21 but the Blugolds would end set three.
The Blugolds would keep the pressure on high during set four and ultimately claim it 25-13 over CSB to end the set and the match.
Heying had 12 kills to lead CSB, adding to the team total of 40 kills to Eau Claire's 49. Kobienia had seven kills and
Madelyn Gregory had six kills and two total blocks. Marker led the team with 18 assists and
Audrey Spolidoro finished with 14.
Mary Wenisch led the team with 18 digs and Marker had 15. CSB hit .083 to the Blugolds' .235.
Eau Claire's Jordan Witzel had 22 kills. Charlie Nelson had 40 assists and Taylor Scalia 35 digs and three service aces.
CSB is back on the road traveling to Thousand Oaks, Cali. to play in the Cal Lutheran Tournament Sept. 10-11. Their first match-up is against Washington University in St. Louis at 1:15 p.m. CDT followed by second-ranked Emory University at 5:45 p.m. CDT, both on Sept. 10.
