ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – With one match left in the regular season, the College of Saint Benedict volleyball team (17-6, 8-2 MIAC) hits the road for its final MIAC tune-up, traveling to Northfield to face Carleton (4-20, 2-8 MIAC) at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8.
Led by veteran head coach
Nicole Hess, the Bennies have once again established themselves among the MIAC's top programs. Hess has now guided Saint Benedict to 289 career wins at CSB (353 overall), and her squad has secured a third-place finish in the conference standings. CSB is also the defending MIAC Tournament champions.
The Bennies enter the weekend playing some of their best volleyball of the season, winning nine of their last 12 matches, including a 3-2 win over Concordia and a 3-0 victory over Bethel.
CSB Clinches Home Playoff Match
On Nov. 7, Saint Benedict locked up a first-round home playoff match with a decisive 3-0 victory over Bethel at Claire Lynch Hall. The Bennies dominated from start to finish, winning by scores of 25-18, 25-19, and 25-19, improving to 17-6 overall and 8-2 in league play.
With that win, CSB awaits the outcome of Saturday's matches to learn its first-round opponent — either Augsburg or St. Scholastica. If St. Scholastica upsets league leader St. Olaf, the Saints will travel to St. Joseph for the MIAC quarterfinals. If they lose and Augsburg defeats Saint Mary's, Augsburg will earn the final playoff spot.
Balanced Attack Fuels Bennies
Saint Benedict's offense shined against Bethel, hitting an efficient .274 with 44 kills on 117 swings.
- Keira McManus led the attack with 11 kills, while Brooke Andries and Mackenzie Knofczynski each added nine.
- Knofczynski was especially sharp, hitting .438 (9 kills, 2 errors, 16 attempts), while Andries posted a perfect .391 with no attack errors.
- McManus also chipped in at a .231 clip, as the Bennies controlled tempo throughout the match.
By the Numbers: Key Bennies Performers
- Kali Jones, junior outside hitter, remains one of the MIAC's most dynamic all-around players. She ranks as follows:
- 7th in kills (2.87/set),
- 5th in points (3.51/set),
- 8th in digs (3.71/set), and
- 5th in aces (0.45/set).
Jones owns 13 double-digit kill matches this season and 34 career double-doubles. One of her standout performances this year came against Saint Mary's, where she notched 17 kills and 17 digs while hitting a season-best .483 with four aces. She enters the weekend with 797 career kills and 860 digs.
- Chaeli Haupert, a senior libero, continues to anchor the Bennies' back row. She tallied 17 digs and two aces against Bethel, pushing her career total to 1,247 digs—just seven shy of 10th all-time in CSB history. Haupert has recorded double-digit digs in 19 matches this year and ranks 4th in the MIAC with 4.30 digs per set. Haupert set a career-high with 31 digs in the 3-2 win over Concordia on Nov. 1.
- Izzy Torve, a sophomore setter, ranks seventh in the MIAC in aces (0.44/set) and 10th in assists (5.30/set). She's recorded six double-doubles this season, including a career-best 34 assists vs. Cornell.
- Mackenzie Knofczynski, a senior middle blocker, leads the MIAC in blocking at 1.03 per set (89 total). The senior recently surpassed 800 career kills (809) and now boasts 337 career blocks.
- McKenna Moehrle, another senior leader, has contributed 84 kills this season, bringing her career totals to 378 kills and 122 blocks.
Scouting Carleton
Carleton, which is led by fourth year head coach Abby Walton, has a 4-20 record with a 2-8 mark in MIAC play. The Knights are led by Sylvia Dixon with 232 kills and 2.89/set while Rachel Bingham records 2.09 kills/set on 142 kills.
Series History
Saint Benedict has dominated the series, holding a 31-7 record against Carleton since 1993. The Bennies are 15-2 on the road and have won nine straight meetings against the Knights.
