ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College volleyball team played Bethel University at home in the Leonard Center on Saturday, falling in five sets, 25-15, 15-25, 25-12, 17-25, 15-13. The Scots battled first-place Bethel but fell to 7-15 overall and 2-6 in conference play, while the Royals (21-4) remain unbeaten in the MIAC at 8-0.
Macalester lost the first set, 15-25, but matched Bethel in kills with 11, five of which were recorded by first-year middle blocker
Kyle Speta (San Francisco, Calif./Urban School of San Francisco).
Macalester then flipped the script, taking the second set 25-15. Down by one, a string of six scores by the Scots brought the score to 10-5. After Bethel tied the game again at 10, the teams went back and forth to 17-15 until eight consecutive points by Macalester closed the set at 25-15. In the second set, junior defensive specialist
Lizzie Joo (San Jose, Calif./Valley Christian) notched five service aces, including three during the final four points.
Bethel returned with a vengeance, winning the third set by holding Macalester to 12 points. The Scots took set four with help of a seven-point unreciprocated scoring streak midway through the set.
In the closing set, Bethel took advantage of Macalester's even hitting percentage to hold an edge. A kill by Speta brought the Scots from a tie to a lead, 10-9, but the Royals regained momentum, earning nine of the final 13 points and ending the thrilling set at 15-13. In set five, the Scots recorded 39 attack attempts, including seven kills.
Through the match, first year outside hitter
Channing Smith (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) logged 11 kills, leading the team. Joo totaled six aces. While hitting for .500 herself, senior setter
Hannah Morrow (Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook) led the Scots with 22 assists. Defensively, first-year setter
Lydia Koshuta (Appleton, Wis./Appleton) contributed 17 digs, followed by Joo and Smith with 15 each.
Next for Macalester is a conference match at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., on Wednesday, October 28, at 7:00 p.m.
Story by Miles Remmel
