ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—2015 has been a memorable season for the Bethel University volleyball team and Thursday's match against the College of Saint Benedict was no different. The Royals (22-8, 9-2 MIAC) utilized the fuel from their highly energetic home crowd to build a 2-0 lead over the Blazers (18-9, 8-3 MIAC) and closed out the match with a 3-1 victory.
 
With the win BU returns to the MIAC Championship game for the first time since 2001—snapping a 14-year drought. That contest will be played at No. 1-seeded Gustavus Adolphus College Saturday evening at 7 p.m. Interestingly enough, Bethel's only conference losses this season were to Saint Benedict and Gustavus and the Royals would love nothing more than to avenge both defeats in the postseason.
 
Bethel opened the match versus the Blazers with a 25-17 victory in game one and a 25-20 triumph in game two, before CSB fired back with a 25-17 conquest in game three. Remembering their five-set loss in St. Joseph, Minn., on September 25, the Royals had no desire to go five games and used that as motivation to win game four 25-19.
 
BU tallied 71.0 points on 52 kills, seven aces, and 12 blocks, opposed to Saint Ben's, who mustered 62.0 points on 54 kills, four aces, and four blocks. The Royals finished the night with an attacking percentage of .259, while CSB was held to .221.
 
Carlee Hoppe, who recently slammed her 1,000th career kill, was electric throughout the match, posting 15 kills, 15 digs, four block assists, and an attacking percentage of .325. For Hoppe, it was her fifth consecutive match with double-digit kills.
 
Kristin Stern recorded 12 kills, four blocks, and an attacking percentage of .286, while Tina Hoppe tallied 10 kills and 11 digs. Tegan LaBerge finished with eight kills and seven blocks.
 
Mikayla Morrow led the Royals with 23 assists, while Katie Lubben was right behind with 22 and five digs. Kali Johnson led the team with three service aces and 18 digs.
 
Saint Benedict's Laura Schmitt and Briana Schmiesing each manufactured 14 kills, while All-MIAC setter Megan Pekarek led all players with 44 assists.
 
Bethel has now won seven consecutive matches and nine straight against MIAC teams. They'll face a Golden Gustie team that has won 26 consecutive matches, after losing their first two competitions of the season.