NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Abby Loe (Jr./Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley) recorded a career high 25 kills and added 17 digs to register her fifth double-double of the season, but the Carleton volleyball team dropped a hard-fought five-set match (25-20, 31-29, 14-25, 22-25, 11-15) to Saint Mary's University on Wednesday evening at West Gym. The match marked senior night, as the program honored seniors Celeste Chen (Yorba Linda, Calif,/Valencia) and Olivia Powell (Palos Verdes, Calif./Chadwick) prior to the start of the match.
 
Loe, who entered the match as the only MIAC player to average over 2.0 kills, 2.0 digs, 0.33 blocks and 0.30 aces, added a block and two aces in the match. Her 25 kills surpassed her previous career-best of 23, which was set one week ago in the Knights' four-set win over Hamline.
 
Carleton (6-19, 2-8 MIAC) controlled play throughout the opening set, as the Knights built a nine-point lead at 20-11. Saint Mary's closed to within three points at 23-20, before back to back kills courtesy of Inger Shelton (So./San Diego, Calif./La Jolla) and Loe put the set away 25-20 and gave Carleton a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
The second set featured 14 ties with six lead changes and treated fans at West Gym to some of the most exciting volleyball played on the Knights' home floor this season. Saint Mary's jumped in front early and took a 17-11 lead midway through the set. An ace from Talia Williams (So./Minnetonka, Minn./Eagle Ridge Academy) followed by another kill from Loe two points later pulled the Knights within two at 19-17. The Cardinals had a chance to put the set away up 24-23, but a kill from Loe tied the set at 24-24. Carleton fought off three more set-point opportunities before back-to-back kills from Loe gave the Knights a thrilling 31-29 win and 2-0 match lead.
 
Fighting to keep its MIAC postseason playoff hopes alive, Saint Mary's (15-12, 5-5 MIAC) responded with a 25-14 win in the third set, followed by a 25-22 victory in the fourth to force a deciding fifth game. The two teams exchanged leads early and were tied at 7-7 midway through the set. The Cardinals began to pull away a few points later, however, and went on to earn a 15-11 win in the set and a hard-fought 3-2 match win to keep the Cardinals' post-season hopes alive.
 
Jancyn Appel (Fy./Kansas City, Mo./Pembroke Hill) and Grace Leuchtenberger (Jr./Newton, Mass./Newton South) joined Loe with double-digit kill totals as the duo recorded 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Playing in her final home match at West Gym, Powell added seven kills and four blocks.
 
Shelton matched her career high with 51 assists and added 10 digs, while Chen closed out her final home match with a career-best 30 digs.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE KNIGHTS: Carleton will close out the season with a road match against cross-town rival St. Olaf College on Friday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.