ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Behind a match-high 17 kills from junior opposite Kirstin Cotter, the No. 21 Bethel University volleyball team earned its first true road win of the year defeating Saint Benedict in straight sets Wednesday evening (25-22, 25-16, 25-22).
 
Offensively the Royals hit .197 for the night while defensively they totaled 12 blocks. Junior middle blocker Emily Rossing led the way with six block, two solos, while sophomore Abigail Drury added four. The Royals limited CSB to a .059 hitting percentage, the seventh time this year BU has limited its opponent to a sub-.100 hitting percentage.
 
Senior setter Hannah Wilhite tallied her fourth double-double of the season with 34 assists and 15 digs.
 
Bethel (13-3, 2-0 MIAC) used an early four point-run turning a 5-5 into a 9-5 advantage. Cotter picked up steam from the opening set as one of her seven kills in the set kick started a six-point run opening up the Royals advantage to eight. A late rally by Saint Benedict (2-9, 0-2 MIAC) pulled it even at 19-19. Up 23-22, a kill by Cotter followed by a solo block gave BU a crucial opening set.
 
A couple of three point runs by BU gave them the lead early in the second, but CSB still kept within reach. A kill from Wilhite put the Royals up 20-15. A kill on the next rally by Allie Fauth allowed the Royals to score five of the last six points.
 
Saint Benedict opened the third with a 6-1 advantage. A block from Drury and Fauth kicked off a run that got BU back in the lead at 9-8. Five more ties occurred before Bethel took the lead for good. There was nothing more fitting than Cotter grabbing a pair of kills giving BU the win.  
 
The Royals return to the Robertson Center Saturday at 7 p.m. for a big MIAC clash with Gustavus Adolphus.