SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The College of Saint Benedict volleyball team (1-3) split a pair of games at the Trinity Fall Classic on Saturday (August 31), securing a thrilling five-set win against SUNY-Cortland before falling to host Trinity in their final match of the tourney.
Match 1: CSB 3, SUNY Cortland 2
The Bennies came from behind to defeat SUNY Cortland 3-2 with set scores of 21-25, 26-24, 22-25, 25-17, and 16-14. Sophomore
Kali Jones led the team with a career-high 20 kills and 10 digs, while first-year
Emma Flanders added 17 kills. Senior
Audrey Spolidoro played a pivotal role with a season-high 55 assists and 11 digs, achieving her 38th career double-double. The Bennies showcased their resilience by rallying from a 2-1 deficit and winning the final set in a closely contested match.
Match 2: Trinity 3, CSB 1
In their final match of the tournament, the Bennies fell to host Trinity 3-1, with set scores of 25-27, 25-21, 25-21, and 25-16. Saint Benedict won the first set in a tight contest but dropped the subsequent sets. Sophomore
McKenna Moehrle led the Bennies with a season-high 14 kills and a .265 hitting percentage, while junior
Mackenzie Knofczynski contributed 12 kills and four blocks. Despite a strong performance in the opening set, CSB could not sustain their momentum, as Trinity won three straight seasons
Team and Individual Highlights at tourney:
- Kali Jones: Averaged 3.00 kills per set, totaling 51 kills and recording two double-doubles.
- Emma Flanders: Averaged 2.88 kills per set, totaling 49 kills.
- McKenna Moehrle: Averaged 2.18 kills per set, totaling 37 kills, and added 11 blocks.
- Mackenzie Knofczynski: Averaged 2.41 kills per set, totaling 41 kills, and led the team with 14 blocks.
- Audrey Spolidoro: Averaged 10.29 assists per set, totaling 175 assists, and recorded two double-doubles.
- Chaeli Haupert: Averaged 3.88 digs per set, totaling 66 digs, and had a team-high 10 service aces.
Overall Performance:
- In four games, CSB had an edge in kills per set (11.9 to 11.7) but were outhit by opponents (.222 to .152).
- The Bennies averaged 11.6 assists per set compared to 10.9 for opponents.
- CSB averaged 2.2 aces per set, 14.5 digs per set, and 1.5 blocks per set.
The Bennies will next compete in the UW-River Falls Tournament on September 6-7, where they will face Simpson, Minnesota-Morris, and Wisconsin-River Falls.
