ST. PAUL, Minn. - After a two-week break from competition, the Hamline volleyball team (4-3) came ready to play, defeating St. Catherine (1-4) in three sets. This is the third sweep that the Pipers have earned in this condensed season, also getting three-set wins over North Central and Macalester.
 
HU played solid defense throughout the match, holding a 70-62 edge in digs, with four different players notching 10 or more in the match. Sydney Larson and Megan Rubbelke led the way with 15 each and teammates Maggie Gavic and Erin Tadych each had 10 apiece.
 
On the offensive end, the Pipers hit for a season-high percentage at .222, which was slightly ahead of St. Catherine's .192 percentage in the match. Sophomore Rachel Rettmann had an impressive game, tallying a team-high 14 kills with an efficient .429 percentage. Larson joined Rettmann in double digits, with 12 kills on the night.
 
Rubbelke, in addition to dishing out 37 assists, was also an offensive threat, recording seven kills while hitting .467. Sophomore Gabby Robinson also chipped in in more ways than one, compiling nine digs and a team-high three service aces.
 
All three matches were close throughout, but the first ended up being the closest. Four straight points for the Wildcats late in the match made it 21-17 in their favor. They would push that lead to 24-21 before the Pipers mounted their comeback. Two SCU attack errors and a kill from Rettmann would tie the game at 24. The Wildcats would score the next point, but HU scored the next three straight on a kill from Rettmann and two from Larson to claim set one 27-25.
 
Hamline carried that momentum into the second set, scoring the first five points in a row. St. Catherine would get right back into it, though, using a four-point run to get within one. The set would remain tight until the Pipers once again closed out the set strong, getting four of the last five points to win it 25-23. Two of those final four points were scored by kills from Rettmann and the other two came from a pair of aces from Robinson.
 
In the third set, HU led 14-9 in the middle of the set, but the Wildcats would eventually tie it at 20 later in the third. Three clutch kills from Rubbelke put Hamline ahead 23-21 and kills from Larson and Cindy Van Acker finished it, securing the match for HU.
 
Hamline will close out the 2021 spring season tomorrow, May 5, with a road match against Bethel. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.