ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The St. Catherine University volleyball pushed Hamline to the brink in a tightly contested MIAC matchup Friday night at Hutton Fieldhouse, but the Pipers held on for a 3–1 victory (22–25, 25–21, 25–21, 29–27).

The Wildcats opened strong, taking the first set 25–22 behind steady hitting from Liz Rosen, who finished with 18 kills on the night, and a balanced attack that saw Marta Haugen and Mallory Johnson combine for 24 kills. Defensive resilience at the net, including blocks by Madison Fagan and Johnson, helped St. Kate's close out the opener.

Hamline bounced back in set two. Despite nine ties in the frame, the Pipers capitalized late with clutch swings from Lexi Helmin (.407 hitting, 13 kills) and Claire Kaups (13 kills). Service pressure also proved key, as Hamline tallied two aces in the set to even the match.

The third set followed a similar script. Eight ties kept the score tight, but Hamline's offense clicked down the stretch, fueled by 17 kills in the frame. The Wildcats kept pace with contributions from Haugen and Fagan, yet the Pipers edged away 25–21 to take control.

The fourth set was a thriller. Both teams traded points throughout, with 15 ties and seven lead changes. Rosen and Haugen again carried the load for St. Kate's, while Johnson added 10 kills overall. Fagan's presence at the net kept the Wildcats in contention. St. Kate's even fought off match points to extend play, but Hamline secured the final two points, closing it out 29–27 with a service ace. 

St. Kate's returns to competition on Wednesday, October 8 hosting Macalester College at 7 pm at Butler Center.