SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Hamline defeated Saint Benedict 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 13-25, 15-12) on Saturday. The Pipers trailed 9-5 in the fifth set before moving ahead 11-9 and closing out the match.
Hamline put down 16 kills in the first set and closed with the final four points to take it 25-21.
Sophia Johnson led the Pipers with six kills, including three in the closing stretch, while Saint Benedict got seven kills from Kali Jones.
The Pipers totaled 14 kills in the second set, with
Cameryn Sand assisting on 11 of them, but Saint Benedict used five service aces and the final four points to take the set 25-22. Hamline moved from 5-5 to 12-5 during an early 7-0 run, while
Sophia Johnson finished the set with four kills and the Pipers' lone ace.
Hamline rallied from a 13-5 deficit to win the third set 25-22, including a stretch of seven points in eight rallies that turned an 18-13 deficit into a 20-19 lead. The Pipers finished with 13 kills to Saint Benedict's 10, led by five from
Sophia Johnson and three from
Nora Cairns, while Sand had 11 assists in the set.
Saint Benedict won the fourth set 25-13 despite both teams recording nine kills, with Hamline giving up 14 points on errors, including four service errors.
Sophia Johnson accounted for six of the Pipers' kills and Cairns added three, while Saint Benedict added two aces and three block points in the set.
Hamline won the fifth set 15-12 after a 6-0 run turned a 9-5 deficit into an 11-9 lead. Both teams recorded eight kills in the set, but Saint Benedict committed six attack errors, while
Sophia Johnson led the Pipers with four kills and Cairns added three.
Sophia Johnson led Hamline with 25 kills and 26.0 points, adding nine digs and one ace. Cairns finished with 16 kills while hitting .367. Sand recorded 47 assists and a team-high 17 digs.
Claire Siems added 16 digs and three service aces.
Hamline is 3-10 overall and 1-1 in MIAC play. Saint Benedict is 6-7 overall and 0-2 in MIAC play.
Up next, the Pipers visit St. Catherine University on Friday, Oct. 2, in Saint Paul, Minn.
