NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The St. Olaf College volleyball team recorded its eighth consecutive victory with a 26-24, 26-24, 25-20 sweep of UW-Superior in non-conference play on Wednesday evening at Skoglund Center.
St. Olaf (18-5) needed extra points in each of the first two sets but kept its winning streak alive by sweeping UW-Superior (14-7) for the third consecutive meeting. The Oles received votes in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)-Taraflex Division III Women's Volleyball Poll.
Senior
Lilah Van Scoyoc led the match with 13 kills on 25 errorless swings to hit .520 from her spot on the outside. Senior
Evelyn Kreft added 11 kills, while junior
Mehsa Krause neared a double-double with eight kills, 14 digs, and two aces. Junior
Sophie Saxton closed in on the 1,000-assist milestone with 23 assists, eight digs, and one ace, while sophomore
Kailani Schroeder registered a double-double of 18 assists and 10 digs.
St. Olaf fell behind 11-5 early on in the first set and was down 20-15 before mounting a late-set rally. Down by five, the Oles won the next six points to take their first lead of the set at 21-20 and prompt a UW-Superior timeout. Later, the Yellowjackets saved a set point to tie it at 24-24, but St. Olaf benefited from a service error followed by an attack error by the visitors to take the set.
The second set was the opposite story, as St. Olaf held a 21-16 lead late before UW-Superior fought back to level the set at 24-24 after saving three set points in a row. Krause broke the tie and brought up another set point with a kill before an attack error by the Yellowjackets gave the Oles another extra-points set win.
Van Scoyoc helped St. Olaf finish off the sweep in the third set with five kills on seven errorless swings. The Oles broke a 7-7 tie with a 3-0 mini run that ended with an ace by first year
Brynna Fox and led for the remainder of the set. UW-Superior got within a point at 15-14, 18-17, 19-18, and 20-19 before St. Olaf won five of the final six points to finish off the win.
The Oles will return to MIAC play by hosting the College of Saint Benedict at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23 for the team's Cancer Awareness Match.
