NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- There was a time when the odds looked stacked against junior Kali Jones and her Saint Benedict teammates Saturday night.
 
But if recent history has shown anything, it's best not to count the Bennies out.
 
That again proved the case Saturday as third-seeded CSB dropped the first two sets of its MIAC Championship match against top seed St. Olaf, only to rally to win the next three - earning its second-straight conference playoff title with a 3-2 (23-25, 15-25, 25-18, 25-20, 17-15) victory at Skoglund Center. It was CSB's fourth MIAC Playoff title (2009, 2017, 2024, 2025).
 
The Bennies (21-6) again earn the MIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. They find out who and where they play when the pairings are announced Monday. 
 
"We know how to set the standard for ourselves," said Jones (Annandale, Minn.), an outside hitter who finished with nine kills. "We put in the work and trust each other. When things look dark, we know that's not the answer we want so we're not going to settle for that outcome."
 
Things did indeed look dark Saturday after CSB dropped a back-and-forth set one, then struggled in set two, allowing the Oles (26-8) to take what looked like a decisive 2-0 lead.
 
But things turned around in game three, led by three big kills from junior Brooke Andries (Marshall, Minn.), who finished the match with eight.
 
"We just started playing free," Andries said. "We felt like we had nothing to lose. All the pressure was on St. Olaf. So we tried to keep swinging away and see what happened."
 
The Bennies also went from siding out at 48 percent in set two (12-for-25) to siding out at 72 percent (13-18) in game three.
 
"That just tells you a lot about the resiliency of our players," CSB head coach Nicole Hess said. "Set two wasn't pretty, but we flipped the script in set three. They kept battling and that says a lot about who they are as competitors. I'm really proud of them."
 
Hess's team continued to build momentum in set four, holding off a late St. Olaf rally to win, 25-20. That set the stage for a wild set five, which saw the score tied eight times and each team get a shot at match point until the Bennies were able to put it away.
 
"This is what we've been working toward the entire season - getting to this point," Jones said. "We knew we could do this. It shows how team-orientated we are. We're gritty and we know we can do these things."
 
Jones also finished with 17 digs, two ace serves and two ace blocks. First-year middle blocker Keira McManus (Sioux Falls, S.D.) led the way with 13 kills. Senior middle blocker Mackenzie Knofczynski (Willmar, Minn.) ended with eight kills and three ace blocks.
 
Andries added four ace blocks while junior middle blocker McKenna Moehrle (Eden Valley, Minn.) had five kills and four ace blocks. Senior defensive specialist Chaeli Haupert (West Lake, Texas) finished with a career-best 32 digs. Sophomore setter Izzy Torve (Loretto, Minn.) added 13 to go with 20 assists for her second double double (assists, digs) of the playoffs.
 
"We spend so much time, not just on the physical part of our game, but on the mental part too," Hess said. "We've been tested throughout the entire season, and at the end of the day, they just believe."
 
That belief has helped them knock off heavily favored Gustavus on the road two straight years in the semifinals, and it's carried them to two-straight conference championship match wins on their opponents' home courts as well - this time against a St. Olaf team that beat them, 3-1, on Oct. 24 at Claire Lynch Hall. And, the victory today was the sixth straight in tournament play and the sixth straight overall this season.
 
Now it's time to once again see how far that belief can take them in NCAA tournament play.
 
"This is just insane," Jones said. "I don't even know what to say. It's so surreal that we get to do this again. It's crazy. What an amazing feeling."

CHAMPIONSHIP APPAREL AVAILABLE -
For the next 48 hours, Saint Benedict fans can purchase official MIAC Volleyball Playoff champion t-shirts, hats, and sweatshirts to commemorate the Bennies' historic team title. The limited-time MIAC Playoff online store is powered by UNRestricted MKTG and will accept orders until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 17. Orders will ship 10-14 days after the store closes. Saint Benedict fans can purchase their official MIAC Volleyball Playoff team champion apparel here.