SAINT PAUL, Minn. ­– The Carleton volleyball team raced out to a two-set lead against Macalester College, but could not hold on for the victory in the end, as they fell (25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 16-25, 11-15) on the road. Grace Perret's (Fy./Green Bay, Wis./Preble) team-leading 23 digs and 13 kills, coupled with Inger Shelton's (Sr./San Diego, Calif./La Jolla) 38 assists, were not quite enough for the Knights (3-8, 0-2 MIAC), who dropped a second-straight five-set match against MIAC opposition.
 
After a comfortable three-point win in the first set, the Knights found themselves in a 4-8 hole – their largest deficit of the game up to that point – early in the second. However, a 10-3 run, highlighted by a pair of kills from Naiya Karl (Jr./Fargo, N.D./Fargo South), quickly turned the frame around, giving Carleton a lead they would not relinquish for the remainder of the set. Their second straight 25-22 victory put them up 2-0 over the Scots (8-3, 1-0 MIAC). Carleton held Macalester to .022 and .147 hit percentages during the first and second sets, respectively. The Knights racked up 27 kills during the run, 24 of which were assisted by Shelton, as Perret paced the team with six kills over the first two sets.
 
Perhaps Carleton's best chance to close out the Scots came near the end of a tight third set, which featured 13 ties and 8 lead changes in total. The Knights amassed a 21-19 advantage before the Scots won 6 of the next 8 points to claim their first set of the game and ignite their comeback.
 
After Macalester forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-16 victory in the fourth, the Knights pulled themselves together, jumping out to a 9-7 lead in the deciding set. However, three straight points from Macalester gave the Scots their first lead of the set, and from there the home team was able to see out a 15-11 win.
           
Imani Kindness-Coleman (Sr./Lodge Grass, Mont./Hardin) made her first start for the Knights this season, finishing with 3 kills and 3 digs over 4 sets. Jancyn Appel (Jr./Kansas City, Mo./The Pembroke Hill School) recorded 12 kills for the Knights, leading the team with a .385 hit percentage, and Karl racked up 10 kills of her own.
 
As a team, Carleton hit .150 against Macalester's .148. The Scots' Adisa Preston led all players with 18 kills.
 
Up Next for the Knights
 
The Knights continue their MIAC schedule with a road match at St. Catherine University on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.