MINNEAPOLIS  — The Bethel University volleyball team closed out the regular season portion of its schedule Friday night. Taking down Augsburg in four sets, the Royals dropped the first set 20-25, before taking the final three sets by scores of 25-18, 25-18 and 25-21.
 
The Royals finished the regular season with a 19-8 overall record and a 9-2 record in conference play, earning them the three seed in the MIAC Playoffs. Bethel is making its 10th consecutive playoff appearance.

Peyton Howie collected 16 kills behind a .417 hitting percentage, with Grace Solberg racking up 16 kills as well. Brenna Stark came up with 44 assists and 19 digs in the win.
 
Set one:
 
Bethel fell behind 5-3 early in set one before Brenna Stark came up with a kill to cut the deficit to one. The Auggies then jumped out to a 10-4 lead after a 5-0 run, a 6-1 run got the Royals back to within one. Later in the set a Peyton Howie kill made it a 17-14 game, down 23-17 the Royals rallied cutting the lead to 23-20 on a Grace Therrien ace. Bethel went on to drop the opening set 25-20.
 
Set two:
 
The Royals grabbed an early 5-3 lead on back-to-back kills from Eleanor Pelzel and Peyton Howie. A Grace Solberg kill later extended the Bethel lead to 16-11, an Auggie attack error capped off a 6-1 Bethel run for a 19-12 lead. Ellie Van Namen came up with a kill to move the Royals to set point taking it on a Auggie attack error 25-18.
 
Set three:
 
Bethel started quickly once again in the third set grabbing a 4-1 lead on an Ellie Van Namen kill. A 7- 1 Royals run opened up a 12-5 lead on a Peyton Howie ace followed by an Auggie attack error. Brenna Stark extended the Bethel lead further with a kill to make it a 15-8 game. Augsburg battled back, cutting the Royals lead to just two, before Camille Renken came up with a kill to make it 16-13. Bethel closed it out with a 5-1 run closing it out with a Grace Therrien kill to take the set 25-18.
 
Set four:
 
Back-to-back Eleanor Pelzel kills gave the Royals a 4-2 lead to begin the fourth set. A 6-1 Bethel run and a Grace Solberg kill opened up a 10-5 BU advantage. The Royals continued to control play taking advantage of a Augsburg attack error to make it a 15-8 game. A Peyton Howie kill made it 21-14, the Auggies battled back to make it a 23-21 game. A Hannah Penke kill advanced the Royals to set point, taking it on Auggie attack error 25-21 and the match 4-1.
  
Up next:
 
The Royals head to the MIAC playoffs where they will host either St. Olaf or Saint Benedict in the quarterfinals Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. in the Robertson Center Gym. Tickets for Tuesday's quarterfinal will go on sale Sunday at athletics.bethel.edu or MIACathletics.com. MIAC Playoff tickets are fully digital this year and there will be no cash sales at the gate.
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