ST. PETER, Minn. – The St. Olaf College volleyball team was in all three sets late but could not find a way to win any in a 25-23, 25-20, 28-26 loss to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) co-leader Gustavus Adolphus College on Friday night at Gus Young Court.

Facing a team yet to drop a set in conference play, St. Olaf (16-7, 4-4 MIAC) was tied with Gustavus (16-9, 7-0 MIAC) at 22-22 late in the first set, trailed just 20-19 in the second set, and had five set points in the third set, but the Gusties found a way to pull out each of the three sets. Gustavus received votes in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division III Poll.

In a rematch of last year's MIAC Playoff championship match, junior Holly Jelinek and sophomore Lilah Van Scoyoc led a balanced attack for St. Olaf with nine kills apiece. First year Mehsa Krause added eight, while sophomore Maren Miller and first year Carlie Beckstrand had seven apiece. The Oles were in each of the three sets despite hitting .152 as a team on the night.

Junior Morgan Ryan surpassed the 20-dig mark for the 11th time this season with a match-high 22, while Van Scoyoc tallied 13 digs to go with her nine kills. Ryan also recorded three of St. Olaf's six aces, which came on night where the team had just one service error. Junior Paige Christophersen handed out a team-high 21 assists and collected seven digs.

Four early attack errors helped St. Olaf jump out to a 6-0 lead in the opening set. The Oles did not trail in the opener until Gustavus went on a 5-0 run to grab an 18-14 lead. Trailing 22-17, St. Olaf won five points in a row, including two aces by Ryan and two kills by Jelinek, to tie the set before the hosts took three of the final four points. Ryan made 11 of her 22 digs in the set.

The Gusties were up 5-1 early in the second before the set tightened up. Gustavus used a quick 3-0 run to build a 20-15 cushion later in the set, but St. Olaf responded by winning the next four points – two on consecutive aces by senior Kathryn Deist – to get within a point. As they did in all three sets, the Gusties finished the set on top by winning five of the final six points to go up 2-0.

Miller registered three early kills to help St. Olaf jump out to a 6-1 lead in the third set. The Oles led by as many as nine on four occasions before the Gusties rallied to complete the sweep. St. Olaf held leads of 21-13, 23-17, and 24-21, but Gustavus saved three consecutive set points to knot the set at 24-24. Kills by Miller and Krause brought up two more set points for the Oles, but the Gusties saved both and finished the set on a 3-0 run to end the match.

St. Olaf will be right back in action in a triangular at UW-Eau Claire on Saturday, Oct. 26, facing UW-Stout at 4 p.m. before taking on the No. 25-ranked Blugolds at 6 p.m.