NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College volleyball team dropped its season finale at St. Olaf, 3-0, but the Knights closed the 2011 campaign above .500 with a 13-12 mark. Karen Halls (Fy./Edina, Minn./Edina) paced Carleton in kills for the first time in her career.

Carleton (3-8 MIAC) recorded 10 blocks compared to just three for St. Olaf (13-14, 4-7 MIAC), but the Knights were their own worst enemies, hitting just .029 as a team compared to a .171 figure for the Oles. Carleton had 20 kills and 17 attack errors.

A 10-2 St. Olaf run midway through the opening set helped the hosts cruise to a 25-14 decision.

The back-and-forth second set featured eight ties and seven lead changes. Carleton had the serve at 22-22, but one of the team’s nine service errors in the match opened the door for St. Olaf to eventually record a 25-23 triumph.

The Oles raced to an 18-6 lead in the final set and cruised to a 25-12 victory.

Halls had five kills and fellow rookie Claire Willeck (Fy./Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) added four kills.

Melissa Burch had a match-high 12 kills for St. Olaf.