ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Carleton College volleyball team must enjoy keeping its fans on the very edge of their seats. For the fifth time already this season, the Knights sent their match to a fifth set, this time rallying to defeat Grinnell College, 3-2 (27-25, 19-25, 12-25, 26-24, 15-13). Carleton improved to 10-1 on the season, already surpassing its win total from a season ago.
Abby Loe (So./Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley) and Elyse Wanzenried (Sr./Minnetonka, Minn./Minnetonka) were both selected to the Macalester Invitational’s seven-player all-tournament team .
“I’m proud of our ‘no quit’ attitude,” said Carleton head coach Jacki Smith. “I think it says a lot about the character of our team to be down 9-2 can come back to win the fifth. We still have a lot to grow, but it was a great win.”
The opening set should have prepared everyone in attendance for a tight tussle as the scoreboard saw 15 ties and six lead changes before the Knights eventually claimed a 27-25 win. Carleton trailed 25-24 before Loe notched two kills sandwiched around an ace from Inger Shelton (Fy./San Diego, Calif./La Jolla).
Grinnell used a mini 6-1 run midway through the second game to move in front and then held on for a 25-19 decision that evened the match. The third game was knotted 8-8 before the Pioneers closed the set on a 17-4 burst.
Carleton faced match point in the fourth set, but kills from Loe and Faith Skinner (Sr./La Crosse, Wis./Central) inched the Knights in front, and they tied the match at two sets apiece moments later by a 26-24 margin.
In the decisive fifth set, Grinnell scored the first four points and raced out to a 9-2 lead. A kill by Skinner and ace from Natalie Mun (Fy./Long Grove, Ill./Stevenson) started the Knights’ 13-4 rally to close out the game and the Knights’ sixth consecutive victory.
Loe totaled a team-best 13 kills, while Olivia Powell (Jr./Palos Verdes, Calif./Chadwick) added 10 more to her season total. Shelton and Mun both finished with 17 assists, and with 15 digs, Tegan Carlson (Fy./Benton City, Wash./Kiona-Benton City) paced four Knights with double-figures in that category.
“Grinnell is arguably the best defense we have seen, and I feel like we kept putting pressure on them to make the mistake,” said Smith.
Carleton will host Gustavus Adolphus College on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. Live video/stats will be available via Knights Online.
