ST. PETER, Minn. – The St. Olaf College volleyball team claimed its first road victory over Gustavus Adolphus College since 2010 with a 21-25, 25-20, 25-18, 25-22 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) win on Wednesday night at Gus Young Court.
In a matchup between two teams that received votes in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)-Taraflex Division III Women's Volleyball Poll, St. Olaf (13-5, 3-1 MIAC) recovered from losing the first set to rattle off the next three and hand Gustavus (11-5, 4-1 MIAC) its first MIAC loss of the season. The Gusties had won the last 10 meetings in a row in St. Peter since an Oles' sweep on Sept. 24, 2010.
The win marked the second consecutive season that St. Olaf has defeated Gustavus after the Gusties had won the last seven meetings and 14 of the last 15 prior to 2025. Gustavus was playing without Logan Brent, its season leader in kills.
Senior
Michaela Dooley helped St. Olaf limit Gustavus to a .133 hitting percentage by making 30 digs, her second-highest total of the season. Senior
Lilah Van Scoyoc was in double figures in kills for the sixth time in eight matches with a match-high 15 while hitting .355. Senior
Maren Miller had eight kills on 19 swings to hit .368.
The Oles hit just .036 in the first set to fall in a hole, as the Gusties recorded 15 kills to overcome seven attack errors and win the set. St. Olaf held a 7-6 lead early before Gustavus won eight of the next 10 points to open up a five-point lead. Late in the set, the Oles won three consecutive points to get within two at 23-21 before the Gusties won the final two points.
St. Olaf surged out to an 8-3 lead early in the second set and did not relinquish the lead from there. Miller got going with four kills in the third set, as the Oles used a 7-0 run to turn a 16-15 lead into a 23-15 cushion. Three of Miller's four kills in the set came during that run.
Van Scoyoc got the Oles to the finish line in the fourth by delivering seven kills on 14 swings. Gustavus held a 7-2 lead early before the set tightened up late. With St. Olaf three points from the win at 22-21, Van Scoyoc and senior
Evelyn Kreft recorded back-to-back kills to bring up three match points. A service error kept the Gusties alive, but Van Scoyoc sealed the win with her 15th kill.
The Oles will be back at Skoglund Center for a 3 p.m. match against Hamline University on Saturday, Oct. 10.
