ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Macalester College volleyball team competed well throughout a four-set match at Bethel University Saturday night at the Robertson Center. The Scots ultimately lost in four sets, 25-23, 25-20, 17-25, 25-19 to drop to 3-19 overall and 0-8 in the conference. The Royals improve to 12-8 overall and 5-2 in the MIAC.

The first set was close from start to finish, with nine ties and three lead changes. A kill by sophomore outside hitter Adonia Anene (North Hollywood, Calif/The Buckley School) knotted the score at 23-23, but Bethel tallied the final two points to take the set. Anene notched seven kills in the set for Macalester. The Royals took control of the second set down the stretch in earning a 25-20 win despite four kills apiece from Anene and senior right side Avery Rahe (Olathe, Kan./Olathe West).

In the third set, the Scots turned a 5-5 tie into a 13-7 lead and never looked back, registering 15 kills against just two attack errors in 34 attempts for a hitting percentage of .382. Anene had six kills and sophomore outside hitter Ella Cohen-Richie (Chicago, Ill./Univ. of Chicago Laboratory) recorded five kills to help Macalester earn the most lopsided win in the match, 25-17. But momentum swung back to the hosts, as Bethel closed out the match with a 25-19 win in the fourth set.

Anene posted a career-high 22 kills and a .264 hitting percentage to go with 15 digs in a solid all-around effort. Cohen-Richie finished with 13 kills, a team-high 16 digs and two blocks, with Rahe adding 10 kills. Junior setter Hannah Morrow (Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook) dished out 40 assists and had 15 digs. Sophomore Elizabeth Joo (San Jose, Calif./Valley Christian) also had 15 digs. Hannah Penke registered 15 kills to lead the Royals.
 

Macalester returns to action on Friday, Oct. 31 with a home game against Carleton College. The match starts at 7:00 p.m. in the Leonard Center.