NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The Carleton volleyball team celebrated Homecoming Saturday in style, bouncing back from an early setback to earn a 3-1 victory (17-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-19) over the College of St. Scholastica inside West Gym. With the win, the Knights improve to 12-7 overall and 3-2 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play, while the Saints drop to 4-13 overall and 0-5 in conference action.
St. Scholastica established momentum early in the opening frame, racing out to an 11-2 advantage in the early going. Carleton answered with an impressive 11-0 surge on the back of senior Megan Smith's serve—highlighted by consecutive service aces from the setter and a pair of block assists from first-year Alexis Ormsby and senior Jennifer Bricker—to take a 13-11 lead. However, the Saints responded with an 8-0 run served by Lauren Kahl to surge back ahead 19-13. St. Scholastica went on to score the final four points of the set to secure the 25-17 victory.
The Knights regrouped in set two, seizing control early as Smith served through a four-point stretch featuring back-to-back aces to build a 4-0 cushion. Following a kill by Bricker, fellow senior Rachel Bingham delivered a service ace during a three-point spurt to extend the margin to 7-1. Another three-point spurt gave the Knights a 10-2 lead before the Saints answered with a 6-1 run to cut the lead to 11-8. Carleton held the visitors at bay the rest of the way, scoring the final three points of the set, sparked by a kill from junior Ellewyn Swafford brought up set point. Swafford and Smith combined for a double block to seal the 25-17 set win and level the match.
Carleton maintained its edge in a tightly contested third set that featured nine ties and three lead changes. Trailing 9-5 early, the home team rattled off an 8-2 run to flip the momentum and take a 13-11 lead. St. Scholastica chipped away at the narrow lead and pulled back in front 19-18 late in the frame. But the Knights outscored the Saints 7-3 over the final 10 points of the stanza. Smith found junior Abby Kvart for a crucial kill to set up set point at 24-22, and junior libero Madeleine Dimitre capped off the set with a service ace to claim the 25-22 victory.
In the fourth and final frame, Carleton showed even more grit, coming from behind yet again in the late stages. The Maize and Blue jumped out to an early 6-1 lead and stil led 13-12 before a 6-1 run for the visitors gave St. Scholastica an 18-14 lead late. Swafford put down a kill, then was joined by Kvart on a double block that sparked what turned out to be a match-closing 11-1 run to put away the Saints. Swafford, Bingham, and Ormsby each delivered clutch kills during the stretch before a St. Scholastica attack error wrapped up the 25-19 set victory and sealed the 3-1 Homecoming match win.
Bingham and Kvart led the Carleton attack with 11 kills apiece, with Bingham adding seven digs and three block assists. Swafford provided a major presence at the net, recording seven kills and a team-high six blocks (all assisted), while Bricker contributed five kills and five blocks (one solo, four assisted). Smith put up 29 assists, 10 digs, and a match-high four service aces to log another double-double in her senior campaign. Dimitre anchored the backline with a match-best 28 digs to lead the defensive effort.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton will be back in action at West Gym on Wednesday night, Oct. 14, when the Gustavus Adolphus College Gusties come to town. That match is set for a 7pm start
