ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Carleton College volleyball team completed a perfect 3-0 run at the Macalester Invitational after sweeping both the University of Dubuque and Oklahoma Wesleyan University on Saturday. Libero Laura Barsness (Sr./Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) was chosen for the six-player all-tournament team.
After struggling to get going during their five-set win over Grinnell College on Friday, the Knights started fast in taking care of the Spartans—25-16, 25-18, and 25-13—to start the day.
Kelly Lovett (Jr./Portland, Ore./Lincoln) notched a match-high 14 kills. She has now paced the Knights in that category during nine of their 10 contests this fall. Annie Eckhoff (Sr./Northfield, Minn.) and Kyla Walter (Jr./Aspen, Colo.) led Carleton with four blocks apiece and contributed seven and six kills respectively.
In the late match, Lovett hit .524 as she totaled 13 kills and only two errors in 21 attempts. Carleton hit a season-best .373 in dispatching of Oklahoma Wesleyan, 25-16, 25-20, and 25-12. The win was the Knights’ five in the last six matches.
Eckhoff proved to be a force in the middle, collecting nine kills and a .500 attack percentage. She also had a hand in five more blocks.
Beth Jarrett’s (Jr./Mounds View, Minn./Irondale) consistent play resulted in 29 set assists in each match. Barness totaled 29 digs en route to all-tourney honors.
“Overall, I’m proud of the girls for a great weekend,” said Carleton head coach Heidi Jaynes. “Friday night was a good learning experience for us, and we saw a lot of progress today. It was great to have a lot of people contributing. We’ve learned a lot about ourselves and what we are capable of.”
The Knights have three conference contests over the next 11 days, with each taking place away from home. First up is a trip to St. Peter, Minn. to face Gustavus Adolphus on Wednesday, Sept. 23. The Gusties swept Carleton in a non-conference meeting earlier this month.
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