Saints fall to Eagles

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica volleyball team was up two sets against conference leader University of Northwestern on Saturday at the Reif Gymnasium and then was up 14-11 in set five, but the Eagles still found a way to defeat the Saints in five sets (21-25, 21-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14).

The Saints played a flawless first two sets with a .279 hitting percentage in the first set and a match-high .333 percentage in the second set.  CSS did trail 17-15 in the first set before recording seven straight points to take command of the set. The Saints also trailed 20-18 in the second set, before scoring seven of the final eight points to take a two-set lead.

The third set featured eight ties (the most of the match) and three lead changes. With the score 17-17 in the set, the Eagles registered three straight points. St. Scholastica crawled within 23-22, but the Eagles survived to see another set converting the last two points.

Northwestern jumped out to an 18-8 lead in set four and a late rally by the Saints was not enough as the Eagles forced a fifth-and-deciding set.

The fifth set, which only goes up to 15, saw six ties and four lead changes. Trailing 10-9, the Saints scored five of the next six points to take a 14-11 lead. However, the Eagles fought off all three match points with three straight kills. After a CSS attack error, the Eagles completed the comeback with a Hallie Mueth kill to make the final 16-14.

Kortney Morrin (Grantsburg, Wis./Grantsburg HS (Northern State)) led the Saints with 17 kills and a career-high 30 digs. Noelle Elvehjem (Mora, Minn./Mora HS) added a career-high 16 kills and Jen Hortness (Little Falls, Minn./Little Falls HS) matched a career-high with 12 kills. Erika Birkeland (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS) set 35 assists and Kirsten Eaton (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS) had 19 assists. Danielle Benusa (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS) had 22 digs. Kariana DeYoung (Deer River, Minn./Deer River HS) matched a career-high with seven blocks. Mueth had 18 kills to pace the Eagles. Lindsey Peterson added 17 kills.

The Saints (8-7, 3-1 UMAC) will be back on the road next weekend, facing the University of Minnesota Morris on Friday and Crown College on Saturday. The Morris contest is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.