Teddy Kaste-
Gustavus’ Volleyball team is back to their winning ways, as this past Saturday the Gusties volleyed, set, and spiked their way past Macalester 3-0. This win came off the heels of a tough stretch for the Gusties, as they were coming off a pair of road losses coming into this match. Gustavus was able to snap their losing skid in this dominant victory over Macalester.
The first set was a breeze for the Gusties, as they seemed to control the action for the greater part of the first game. The Gusties looked refreshed after their much-needed week of rest and outplayed Macalester from the start until the end of the first game; Gustavus won the set 25-18.
The second set was more of the same, as the Gusties, spurred on by 5 consecutive points early in the set, cruised to victory by the same exact margin of victory: 25-18. The third set presented a slightly bigger challenge, as Macalester jumped out to a 4-point lead early in the set, but Gustavus came right back with a run of their own and took over the set about mid-way through. Gustavus took the third set 25-20 to complete the sweep and improve to 10-9 on the season.
First-year Macie Malchow was everywhere in the match against Macalester, her stat line included a whopping 27 assists, 7 digs, 3 aces, 2 kills, and a block. These impressive totals were enough for her to earn the MIAC Volleyball Specialist of the Week award. Very impressive stuff, especially from a First-year.
When asked about being a First-year on the team, Malchow said, “Coming in as a First-year, you never know what to expect playing at the college level. At first, it was hard getting used to how fast-paced the game was and how to connect with the hitters. Over time, I put in the work in proving that I can compete at a high level and set the standard. Kasie Tweet has really taken me under her wing and showed me the ropes on how to be a leader, teammate, and an even better person. She, as well as my teammates, have given me the confidence that I can truly be myself and play like myself around them.”
Junior Sophia Deyak also played a big role in the win. Her 4 blocks led the team and helped the Gusties sweep the Scots. Deyak shared her secrets on blocking stating, “I believe that to be a successful blocker, you need to have a lot of confidence up at the net and take away your opponent’s hitting options. Having pins that set up a good block is very important and makes it easier for me!”
As we reach the midway point in Gustavus’ season, they hold a record of 10-9. The early portion of their year consisted of traveling to play the top schools in D3 volleyball. The second half of the season, however, consists of mostly MIAC matchups between the typical MIAC schools.
Junior Leah Berg said, “The team has learned that it is okay to have setbacks or tough losses. We had a tough schedule this first month of play, and understanding that a couple of losses doesn’t take away from our value as a team is important coming into conference play.” The next Gustavus Volleyball game will be at home Friday versus St. Scholastica, followed by Hamline at home again Saturday. So come to the Gus Young Court this weekend to cheer on the Gusties!