ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – In a hard-fought battle that featured momentum swings and standout performances, (RV) College of Saint Benedict volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to No. 14 UW-Eau Claire on Wednesday night at Claire Lynch Hall. Despite taking the first set, the Bennies (8-2) fell by scores of 25-23, 16-25, 20-25, and 14-25 to the nationally ranked Blugolds (11-1).

Junior Kali Jones delivered a standout performance, recording her 27th career double-double with 15 kills—a season-high—and 12 digs. Meanwhile, senior libero Chaeli Haupert etched her name in the CSB record books, surpassing 1,000 career digs with a 14-dig performance that showcased her trademark grit on the back line.

The Bennies came out swinging in the opening set, fueled by seven kills from Jones and a .333 hitting percentage. CSB edged the Blugolds 25-23 in a set that saw 11 ties and six lead changes, with Haupert reaching her milestone during the tight exchange.

But the visitors responded. UW-Eau Claire stormed back with a 25-16 win in the second set, capitalizing on CSB's attack errors and posting a clean 12-kill performance. Though the Bennies rallied from a six-point deficit in the third to trail just 20-19, the Blugolds strung together a late 5-0 run to take the set, 25-20. In the fourth, UW-EC sealed the game with a dominant .400 hitting clip and a 17-9 edge in kills, finishing off the night with a 25-14 win.

Despite the loss, CSB's 8-2 start is their best since 2013, a promising sign as the Bennies enter MIAC play. First-year Keira McManus impressed with a .350 hitting percentage (8 kills on 20 swings), and sophomore Izzy Torve notched her fourth career double-double, tallying 18 assists and 11 digs.

Defensively, CSB racked up 66 digs—with Haupert and Jones leading the charge—and added six service aces, three of which came from Libby Burns. The match featured a combined 25 ties and 12 lead changes.

Next up, the Bennies hit the road for their MIAC opener at (RV) Gustavus Adolphus on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m., followed by a return home to face Hamline on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. on Alumnae Night at Claire Lynch Hall.