After dropping a five-set heartbreaker to St. Olaf College Wednesday evening, the St. Catherine University volleyball team hoped to get back on the winning-track this weekend but knew it wouldn't be easy against No. 18-ranked College of Saint Benedict. Despite its best effort in the third set, the Wildcats couldn't slow down the multiple offensive weapons of the Blazers in suffering a 3-0 (25-14, 25-12, 25-20) loss Saturday in the Butler Center. 

The Blazers used a double-double performance from Laura Schmitt (13 kills, 19 digs) and a .376 team hitting percentage to overpower the Wildcats who hit just .075 overall. The Wildcats did manage to collect four team blocks and panic the Blazers in the third set hitting their match best .122. Unfortunately it wasn't enough as the Wildcats suffered their third-consecutive MIAC loss. 

Alyssa Besch (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) again led the Wildcats with a team-best seven kills and .294 hitting day. She also added three digs to her performance and assisted on three of the four blocks for the Wildcats. Amber Zeiher (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) collected five kills to help offensively while also helping on one block. 

Abigail Palmer (Pequot Lakes, Minn./Pequot Lakes) added offensively and defensively for the Wildcats with three kills, one assist and a team-best 16 digs, while Shanee Herd (Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson) had eight digs, one kill and one service ace. 

Karsee Knutson (New London, Minn./New London-Spicer) and Ashley Kahlow (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) split setting duties for the day with Knutson tallying 10 assists and seven digs and Kahlow racking up seven assists. 

The Wildcats return to MIAC play Wednesday when they will again face another national top-25 opponent in the University of St. Thomas. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. at St. Thomas in St. Paul. 

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