WHITEWATER- Wis.- Despite first-year outside hitter
Kali Jones recording a double double of 10 kills and 10 digs, the College of Saint Benedict volleyball team (7-4) fell to No. 3 ranked University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (13-0), 3-0 (12-25, 19-25, 23-25) on Saturday, September 16 at the UW-Whitewater Tournament.
CSB finished 1-2 at the tournament but battled three top-10 ranked teams, including a five-set win over No. 7 Washington University-St. Louis on Friday night. CSB will return home to host Augsburg to open MIAC play at 7 p.m., on Wednesday at Claire Lynch Hall. It will be among the events during Inauguration Week (Sept. 18-24) for CSB/SJU President Brian Bruess.
Sophomore middle blocker
Mackenzie Knofczynski earned all tourney honors after hitting .371 with 32 kills in three games. She added nine blocks and had two games with double-digit kills.
Against No. 3 UW-Oshkosh, Jones was solid with her third straight double-digit kills game and second career double double. She also has six double-digit kills game this season. Aside from Jones, sophomore middle blocker
Mackenzie Knofczynski and junior setter
Audrey Spolidoro had solid performances. Knofczynski recorded seven kills, three blocks and eight digs which totaled a hitting percentage of .500 percent. Spolidoro recorded two kills, nine digs, and 25 set assists including her second-best hitting percentage of the season at .286. She also surpassed 1,900 career set assists with 1,911.
For the game, CSB totaled 33 kills on 113 total attacks with 46 digs, two service aces and nine blocks. UW-Oshkosh was led by Riley Kindt and Kalli Mau. Kindt had 14 kills and four blocks. Mau recorded two aces, 22 set assists, and seven digs.
In set one, CSB fell, 25-12, to UW-Oshkosh as the Bennies had just eight kills on 29 attacks and made 10 errors. With the set tied at 6-6, the Titans scored six straight points for a 12-6 advantage and finished with a 13-6 run to take the opening set. The Titans had a strong hitting set with a .455 mark on 11 kills in 22 attacks and just one error.
In set two, UW-Oshkosh jumped out to a 3-0 lead before a Jones' kill kept CSB within, 3-1. UW-Oshkosh hit .208 with 16 kills on 48 attacks to take control and lead, 19-16. CSB had 11 kills on 43 attacks but had eight errors which hurt as the Bennies fell, 25-19, to fall behind 2-0 in sets.
In the final set, the Bennies had their best hitting performance of the game with 14 kills on 41 attacks and a .195 mark. But UW-Oshkosh was able to bring home the set with a .263 hitting mark with 15 kills on 38 attacks. The Bennies led, 4-2, before the Titans rallied to tie at 5-5. After the Titans led, 10-7, the Bennies had a 6-4 run to draw within, 14-13. The Bennies forged ties at 17-17, 19-19 and 20-20 before the Titans had a 5-3 run to close the set and game.
By the Numbers
In the three games of the tournament, CSB averaged 11.83 kills/set with 142 on .449 attacks and a .163 hitting percentage. CSB had 134 assists or 11.17 per set and added 20 service aces as well as 20.5 blocks. Jones had a team-high 37 kills for 3.08 per set and totaled 108 attacks while recording 24 digs. Knofczynski added 32 kills and it a team best .371 on 70 attacks.
Emma Guest had 31 kills for 2.58/set and added four services aces and 22 digs.
Mackenzie McDonald had a team-high 43 digs as she averaged 3.58/set.
