NORTHFIELD, Minn – The Bethel University volleyball team (23-6) traveled to Northfield Wednesday night to take on Carleton College (12-9). Bethel swept Carleton in three sets with scores of 25-12, 25-22, and 25-16. The win puts the Royals into the MIAC Playoffs for the fifth straight season and seven of the last eight.
 
The Royals started the first set with a lead of 4-2 and went on to have a 6-0 run to keep them ahead. Carleton kept up a good fight but Bethel went on yet another 6-0 run to take set one with a score of 25-12. Starting the second set out similar to the first, the Royals took the lead 4-0 and Carleton answered back by keeping the score tight all throughout the set. Tying up 22-22 towards the end of the set, Bethel knocked out two kills and an ace to give them set two with a score of 25-22. Carleton kept themselves close behind Bethel in set three by going on a 5-0 run, but the Royals answered back by also going on not one, but two, 5-0 runs in the third set leading them to take all three sets with a score of 25-16.
 
The Royals accumulated 51 points on 40 kills, seven aces, and four blocks while also mustering up 38 assists and 54 digs. Maria Claflin ended the evening with 10 kills and two blocks while Brooke Olstad ended with nine kills, three aces, four assists and eight digs. Hannah Wilhite gathered up 31 assists and Allie Fauth collected 11 digs.
 
The Royals will be traveling to visit our neighbors to the south in Minneapolis at Augsburg University on Saturday, October 27 at 3 p.m. If Bethel wins they are guaranteed the No. 4 seed in the MIAC Playoffs and the first round home game that comes along with it. A loss will create a TBD tie breaker scenario for the seeding in the playoffs but the Royals are guaranteed a spot in the postseason.