ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – After winning nine of the last 12 matches, the (RV) College of Saint Benedict volleyball team (15-6, 7-1 MIAC), will host Carleton (6-13, 3-5 MIAC), on Faculty Night on Wednesday, October 25, at 7 p.m., at Claire Lynch Hall.
 
As part of Faculty Night, CSB will honor the many contributions of the CSB/SJU faculty and their support of the volleyball program. The Carleton game is part of a two-game home stand that will include a matchup with Concordia-Moorhead (13-11, 5-3 MIAC) at 5 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 28.   
 
Overall, the Bennies sit 15-6 after splitting a pair of matches with Hamline University and No. 20 Gustavus Adolphus. CSB, which has recorded six 3-0 sweeps in 2023, received seven kills from Kali Jones and 17 assists from Audrey Spolidoro in the 3-0 conference loss to Gustavus. In a 3-2 CSB win over Hamline, Saint Ben's head coach Nicole Hess recorded her 100^th career MIAC win. In the MIAC standings, CSB is 7-1 and in second place, a game behind Gustavus and two games in front of third-place St. Catherine.
 
CSB receiving votes in most recent AVCA/TARAFLEX National Poll 
In the most recent AVCA/TARAFLEX national poll (Oct. 24), CSB received 14 ballot points. Also in the MIAC, Gustavus Adolphus is ranked No. 20 (550 points). Juniata (79 first place votes and 22-0) is ranked No. 1 with UW-Oshkosh (28-0), No. 2, and Hope (20-1), No. 3.  
  
Carleton Notes 
Carleton, which has a 6-13 overall record and sits 3-5 in the MIAC, fell 3-2 to Hamline on Oct. 21 in Northfield, Minn. The program is directed by second-year head coach Abby Walton, who is 11-30 in her career. Kerrigan Candra leads Carleton with 169 kills (2.45/set) while Sylvia Dixon has collected 141 kills (2.35/set). Other individual leaders for Carleton include Megan Smith with 270 assists (3.91/set) and Annelise Sokolow, who leads the team on defense with 176 digs (2.67/set). 
  
Carleton/CSB Series Notes 
When CSB hosts Carleton, the two schools will play for the 37^th time with the Bennies holding a 29-7 advantage. CSB had a seven-game winning streak from Nov. 3, 2015, to Oct. 15, 2022. In the series with Carleton, CSB is 14-2 on the road with a 12-4 record at home and a 23-7 overall mark in conference play. In the first matchup CSB took a 3-0 win on Sept. 10, 1993. 
  
Concordia Notes 
Concordia College is led by head coach Faith Radermacher, who is in her fourth season with the Cobbers. Brook Carney leads Concordia with 258 kills (2.74/set) while Mallory Leitner has collected 250 kills (2.81/set). Other individual leaders for Concordia include Kaia Lill with 903 assists (9.61/set) and Chloe Markovic, who leads the team on defense with 390 digs (4.15/set). 

Concordia/CSB Series Notes 
In the all-time series between CSB and Concordia, the Bennies hold a 29-22 lead. The Bennies have won seven of the past 10 games, including a 3-0 decision on Mar. 24, 2021. In the first matchup, CSB took a 3-0 win on Sept. 22, 1993. At home, CSB is 19-8 against the Cobbers, who have a 9-10 record in Moorhead, Minn. In conference play, CSB owns a 18-10 series advantage. 
  
Bennies' Team Notes 
In the MIAC, CSB ranks third in the league with 1,267.5 points (15.65/set). CSB is sixth in hitting at .177 with 976 kills on 3,107 attacks. The Bennies sit fourth in kills at 12.05 per set and blocks with 134.5 (1.66/set). CSB is fifth in the MIAC with 10.72 assists per game (868 total), sixth in service aces with 157 (1.94/set) while ranking second with 1,411 digs (17.42/set). 
  
In 2023, first-year outside hitter Kali Jones, who has 192 kills (2.56/set) and 662 attacks while recording six double doubles, was named to the UW-River Falls All Tourney Team. Jones has 15 service aces, 177 digs (2.36/set) and 23 total blocks as a first-year outside hitter. Eleven times this season, she has registered double-digit totals in kills with a high of 19 against St. Catherine on Sept. 23 and Simpson on Sept. 8. 
  
Sophomore middle blocker Mackenzie Knofczynski, has recorded 188 kills (2.32/set) and owns a hitting percentage of .264 while registering a team-high 72 blocks (0.89/set).  She was named to the UW-Whitewater All-Tourney Team. Ten times this season (17/career), she has recorded double-digit kills totals with a high of 15 vs nationally ranked Washington U.  In her career, she has 379 kills (2.11/set) and a .255 hitting mark. She also has 135 career blocks. 
  
First-year right-side hitter Brooke Andries, who has eight double-figure kills totals, has 153 kills (1.96/set) on a .221 hitting percentage. She has a high of 14 kills against Eastern on Sept. 2, 2023. 
  
Senior Paige Andries has recorded 124 kills (1.61/set) with 359 attacks and a .226 hitting mark. She has 30 digs, and 49 total blocks. Seven times in her career, including twice in 2023, she has recorded double-digit kills with a high of 15 vs. St. Catherine on Oct. 26, 2022, and Concordia-Moorhead on Oct. 29, 2022. In her career, she has 265 kills (1.69/set) with a .218 hitting mark. Additionally, she has 75 total blocks.   
  
Emma Guest, a senior outside hitter, has registered double doubles six times this year and 19 in her career. She leads CSB with 204 kills (2.52/set, 16^th in the MIAC) on 704 attacks and is hitting .152. Guest ranks 10^th in the MIAC with 35 service aces, including a high of five against St.  Scholastica on Sept 30, 2023.  She has totaled 255 digs, including reaching double-digits 13 times, and 17 total blocks. Guest has 634 career kills, 2,184 career attacks, 735 digs and 87 service aces. She has a career-best 23 kills vs Saint Mary's on Oct. 14, 2022. In her career, Guest has 27 double-digit kills totals, including eight in 2023. 
 
With 9.16 assists per set, junior setter Audrey Spolidoro ranks fourth in the MIAC and 36th in DIII. Her total of 742 assists is fourth highest in the MIAC and 29th in DIII. She has 12 double doubles this season and 35 career double doubles. With 2,278 set assists in her career, Spolidoro has moved into the program's top 10 and at eighth all-time. Spolidoro, who set a career-high with 62 set assists against nationally ranked Washington U on Sept. 15, 2023, has 147 kills with 57 service aces, and 63 total blocks in her career.
  
Spolidoro/Guest earn MIAC Athlete of the Week honors Sept. 29-30 
After the two CSB wins Sept. 29-30, Spolidoro and Guest of the College of Saint Benedict volleyball team earned Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Athlete of the Week honors. Guest was named the MIAC Offensive Player of the Week while Spolidoro was the Specialty Player of the Week. The dual honor of CSB players by the MIAC was the first since Katie Koch (setter/libero) and Hunter Weiss (hitter of the week) were named on Sept. 3, 2019. For Spolidoro, it was her second honor in three weeks and Guest earned her first-ever award from the league.  
  
CSB is led by HC Nicole Hess 
CSB head coach Nicole Hess has a career mark of 319-257, including 255-124 at Saint Ben's with a 100-40 MIAC record. With Hess at the helm, CSB has won 20 or more games five times with a best of 29 in 2012. In that period, CSB has finished third or better in the MIAC seven times, including second four times. In program history, the Bennies have 21 seasons of 20 wins or more and 16 seasons of at least 25 wins (30 wins three times). She ranks second all-time in wins at CSB with her 255 trailing only Carol Howe-Veenstra, who was 366-150 in her career at CSB including 176-36 in the MIAC.