Live Stats | Live Video | MIAC Playoff Homepage


ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Bethel University volleyball team earned their way into the MIAC playoffs for the fifth straight season and are set to host the first round matchup against Augsburg University. The match will begin at 7 p.m. in the Robertson Center and fans should note the admission prices for MIAC Playoff contests of $10 for adults and $2 for students. All Bethel University students with an I.D. will be admitted for $1. MIAC passes are the only passes allowed.
 
Tiebreaker Winner
The Royals, Auggies and Oles of St. Olaf College all finished the MIAC regular season with identical 7-4 records, tied for the fourth through the sixth and final MIAC playoff spot. In a multiple team tie scenario, the tiebreakers start with match record percentage during matches between all tied teams. Each team finished this scenario at 1-1 as Bethel beat St. Olaf (3-0), Augsburg beat Bethel (1-3) and St. Olaf beat Augsburg (3-1). The next tiebreaker is then game record percentage during matches between all tied teams. This is where Bethel separated themselves by way of sweeping St. Olaf and taking one set from the Auggies. The Royals record in sets was 4-3, besting Augsburg at 4-4 and St. Olaf at 3-4 and setting the seeds as they are with Bethel at No. 4, Augsburg at No. 5 and St. Olaf at No. 6.
 
Home Court Advantage
The Royals have been outstanding in the Robertson Center this season with a 10-2 record, which is on par with their success at home during this decade. Since 2010 Bethel has won 81% of their home matches, accumulating a 73-17 record during that span. Even better is the Royals current senior class record at home during their careers at 35-6 for an 85% winning percentage over the last four seasons.  
 
Playoff History vs Augsburg
Bethel has beaten the Auggies each of the last two times they have faced off in the MIAC Playoffs. In 2016 the Royals traveled to Augsburg for a semi-final match and took the Auggies down 3-1. In 2011 Bethel, as the No. 3 seed, hosted No. 6 seed Augsburg in the first round and came out on top by a 3-1 score.
 
Rematch
The Royals and Auggies just played each other in the regular season final at Augsburg with the Auggies turning in a convincing 3-1 victory. It was still not enough to take home court advantage for Tuesday's playoff game however as the Auggies needed to sweep the Royals in order to do so. Augsburg won the first two sets handily at 25-19 and 25-15 before Bethel rebounded to take set three 25-20. Augsburg then jumped to an early lead and never looked back to take set four and the match 25-18. Tina Hoppe produced her second highest kill total of the season in the match with 17 to go along with 10 digs.
 
1,000/1,000
Bethel senior standout Tina Hoppe has recorded over 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs, hitting both milestones this season. Against Luther College on September 15^th Hoppe surpassed 1,000 career kills and currently has 1,212 on her career. Hoppe also surpassed the 1,000 career digs mark over the past two games as she currently has 1,010 in her career. Hoppe was named to the MIAC All-Conference teams in her junior and sophomore seasons while being a starter as a freshman on Bethel's Elite 8 team.
 
Regionally Ranked
The Royals currently sit at No. 5 in the NCAA Central Region rankings, one spot ahead of playoff opponent Augsburg. The MIAC is heavily represented in the rankings with six of the eight ranked teams and five of the top six coming from the MIAC. Gustavus is at the top with Saint Ben's and St. Thomas at No. 3 and No. 4. The lone non-MIAC teams in the rankings are Washington University in St. Louis and Northwestern-St. Paul at No. 2 and No. 7 respectively.
 
Winning Big
The Royals current record of 23-7 gives them a winning percentage of .767 which is the second best winning percentage in program history behind only the 1984 team that went 40-4. Bethel has now topped 20 wins in a season 18 times, six under current head coach Gretchen Hunt.
 
What's Next
The winner of the Augsburg-Bethel match will advance to the semi-finals to take on top seeded Gustavus on Thursday night, November 1^st at 7 p.m. The Gusties and Royals hooked up in both the 2015 and 2016 MIAC Championship matches with Gustavus winning both by 3-1 scores.