ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Going head-to-head with one of the top teams in the MIAC, the Bethel University volleyball team won a five set thriller over St. Olaf Tuesday night inside the Robertson Center. The Royals rallied from being down 2-1 winning by scores of 25-21, 20-25, 25-27, 25-17, 15-8.
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The Royals celebrated senior night differently this year not on the floor but instead over the airways of the BU Royals Sport Network. The play-by-play voice of Jararn Roste gave high praise to the seven seniors:
Tori Urch,
Liina Nygren,
Allie Fauth,
Rylee Forshee,
Ellie Hoyt,
Maria Claflin,
Macie Gavic and student coach Celia Blattner. The seniors were not only praised for their volleyball careers at Bethel but also for their time as students in the community.
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Senior, outside hitter,
Allie Fauth paced the Royals with a career-high 15 kills hitting .343 to go along with 14 digs and three block assists. Four other Royals reached double-digit kill figures in
Kirstin Cotter (13),
Danielle Friedges (12),
Macie Gavic (11) and
Emily Rossing (11).
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BU took a 6-2 opening lead and never looked back in the opening set. The next two sets were led wire-to-wire by the Oles but that didn't come without a fight from the Royals. In the second Bethel pulled within 18-17 but couldn't get any closer. In the third, Bethel fought their way back tying it three times late in the set before the Oles came away with two straight.
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A seven-point run from 7-7 in the fourth gave Bethel the momentum they needed forcing a fifth set. It was all Royals from there.
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Kills by
Macie Gavic, Friedges and Rossing helped BU jump out ot an 8-3 lead before scoring the final three points of the match completing the comeback.
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Bethel looks forward to a pair of games Saturday playing Augsburg at 10 a.m. and Gustavus Adolphus at 3 p.m. as part of a triangular tournament. In accordance with MIAC indoor spectator policy, no spectators will be allowed.
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