The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) schedule for the 2014 season opens in favor of the St. Catherine University volleyball team with several evenly-matched opponent in the opening half of the schedule. And after losing the first a week ago against Gustavus Adolphus College despite solid play from several key player, the Wildcats needed to pick up a much-needed victory against St.Olaf College – a squad picked just behind the Wildcats in the preseason poll. Despite battling for five sets with the Oles, the Wildcats couldn't close out the win losing their second-consecutive five-set match 3-2 (25-19, 19-25, 25-19, 23-35, 17-15) Wednesday evening in Northfield, Minnesota. 

After back and forth play for most of the first set, the Oles edged out the Wildcats hitting nearly .400 in the 25-19 home team victory. But the Wildcats weren't going to be pushed around as they came roaring back with a .333 hitting performance in the second set to even the score 1-1. The Wildcats led by six points in the third set before surrendering the lead to the Oles. 

Down 2-1 and facing defeat, the Wildcats came out roaring in the fourth set taking a commanding eight-point lead early. The Oles crawled back into the set, but the Wildcats managed to hold off the late-set surge and force a decisive fifth set. The Wildcats battled of several set point opportunities before the Oles finally put away the Wildcats for their first conference win of the season and putting the Wildcats down 0-2 in MIAC play. 

Despite the loss, Alyssa Besch (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) was a bright spot for the Wildcats with a monstrous career  21-kill performance. This was the first time any Wildcat hitter eclipsed the 20-kill mark this season and was Besch's best in her three-year collegiate career and junior season. She hit .514 committing just three errors on 35 attempts. She also racked up one service, one assist, one solo block and six digs. 

Megan Lindenfelser (Nowthen, Minn./Anoka) again proved to be an integral part of the Wildcat offense with 14 kills for her fifth double-digit kill performance as a rookie. She also collected nine digs and a solo block to help defensively. 

First-year Tori Peterson (Preston, Minn./Fillmore Central) had a breakout performance with seven kills and just two hitting errors. She also added six digs and a solo block, while junior Amber Zeiher (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) had six kills and a solo block. 

Karsee Knutson (New London, Minn./New London-Spicer) and Ashley Kahlow (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) split setting duties as they have all season collecting 27 and 21 assists, respectively. Knutson also had nine digs and one service ace, while Kahlow picked up three of the team's 12 aces on the night and nine digs. 

Shanee Herd (Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson) anchored the Wildcat deferense with 26 digs and two aces, while Shelby Rachel (Maple Lake, Minn./Maple Lake) had a career-high four service aces and added 10 digs. 

With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 9-9 overall. They return to conference action at home Saturday against No. 18-ranked College of Saint Benedict for a 3 p.m. match. 

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