The St. Kate’s volleyball team played one of their most intense back-and-forth battles all season against MIAC foe St. Mary’s University. The Wildcats and Cardinals played a five set thriller, which ended with the Wildcats on the short end of the draw 3-2 (25-21, 29-27, 22-25, 19-25, 13-15).
The first set of the night established the tone for the rest of the night. The Wildcats prevailed 25-21, but it was a battle the entire way. SCU and SMU had 12 ties in the first set, the last one coming at 19-19 before St. Kate’s went on a 6-2 run to close out the set.
As if the first set didn’t provide enough drama, the second set was even more intense. With St. Kate’s leading 20-16; St. Mary’s rallied to go up 25-24. The Wildcats then responded by fighting off set point and going on to win 29-27.
Any thoughts of St. Mary’s going away easily were dispelled in the third set. With St. Kate’s up 13-9, St. Mary’s rallied to tie the set 18-18 before going on to win 25-22.
At 25-19 the fourth set proved to be the most lopsided of the entire evening, and it set up the decisive fifth set.
In the fifth, St. Kate’s came out with a renewed sense of purpose. The Wildcats rushed out to a 5-1 lead. Yet once again the Cardinals refused to go away. They chipped away at St. Kate’s lead, before tying the game at eleven. After the team’s traded the next four points St. Mary’s got a side out to take the 14-13 lead and picked up the final point of the night from there.
Reigning MIAC Setter of the Week award winner Nina Lindquist continued her outstanding play. She picked up 56 assists and 10 digs on the night.
Fittingly, both teams are now 4-3 in the MIAC. The Wildcats are now 14-8 overall heading into their matches at the UW-Osh Kosh Titan Tussle.