Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 After dropping a close 3-1 decision to Gustavus Adolphus College to open Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Wednesday, the St. Catherine University volleyball team looked to get back on the winning track at its home St. Kate's Invite tournament this weekend. In their first matches with home court advantage this season, the Wildcats fell 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-23) to Loras College, before bounding back to defeat Grinnell College 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-22) Friday evening at the Butler Center. 

In the opening match against Loras, the Wildcats matched Loras point for point in the opening set before letting the Duhawks pull away to go up 1-0. Then, the Wildcats surrendered leads in both the second and the third sets to fall to 8-7 on the season. Against Grinnell, the Wildcats managed to pull off the win and hold off the Pioneers in the third set despite a threat at 22-22. Between the two matches, the Wildcats combined for 16 service aces – with Karsee Knutson (New London, Minn./New London-Spicer) collecting a career-high six of the Wildcats' 13 against Grinnell. 

Jana Christensen (Mankato, Minn./Mankato North) played her two best matches of the season compiling a total of 18 kills to lead the Wildcats in hitting. She had a team best .375 attacking percentage with just three errors on the day. She also had a team-best 10 kills in the win over the Pioneers – a season-best total for the senior hitter. 

Amber Zeiher (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Handerson) also put together a solid effort for the Wildcats with 14 kills and a .343 hitting effort. She also collected four blocks assists against the Pioneers, while Zoe Barr (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) helped out on three of those blocks. 

Alyssa Besch (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) continued to be a solid force for the Wildcats collecting 15 total kills thanks to a team-best 11-kill performance in the opener against Loras. She also ended the day with six digs, six assists, four service aces two solo blocks and a block assist. Megan Lindenfelser (Nowthem, Minn./Anoka) also added an 11-kill, 12-dig effort between the two matches. 

Knutson and Ashley Kahlow (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Handerson) continued to successfully set up the offense with a combined 59 assists between the two matches. Knutson tallied 37 assists and the second-best dig total of the night with 21, while Kahlow had 22 assists, 10 digs and a service ace. Each senior setter also claimed a kill in the team's offense efforts. 

Shanee Herd (Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson) led the Wildcats defensively with 36 digs. Both her 22 digs against Loras and 14 versus Grinnell were match-high totals. She now has 5.02 digs per set this season which ranks in the top-five in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). Abigail Palmer (Pequot Lakes, Minn./Pequot Lakes) and Shelby Rachel (Maple Lake, Minn./Maple Lake) also chipped in defensively with 14 and 12 digs, respectively. 

The Wildcats close out tournament play tomorrow with an 11 a.m. match against UW-Stout. Other match scores and tournament information can be found on the tournament site. 

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