On Tuesday, Sept. 9, Saint Mary’s defeated Benedictine 3-1 to advance to 6-0 on their record-breaking season, while Benedictine’s loss ended their three-game win streak and dropped them to 4-5 on the season. Leading the Belles was junior middle hitter Caroline Carens, who last week was named Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Player of the Week. She once again showed the Belle community how she earned that title as she led her team to victory against the Eagles.
To start the game, sophomore setter Giuliana Graczyk connected with Carens, with four of the first five points originating from her monster swing alone. Carens’ kills started the momentum for Saint Mary’s which was intensified when her teammate, senior hitter Delaney Martin, secured three kills soon after. The Belles' back row this set was extremely consistent, putting up in-system balls left and right, with players such as freshman outside hitter and defensive specialist Shannon Rudge and junior setter Abby Reese earning four digs each. With outstanding defense, impeccable setter-hitter connection and a set-winning block by Carens, Saint Mary’s found a quick, early victory against Benedictine, 25-14.
However, in what was a carbon copy of their last match up against the Eagles, the Belles fell short in the second set 14-25.
In the 3rd and 4th sets, the Eagles jumped to early leads. The Eagles senior setter Olivia Evola consistently found freshman outside Emma Cuzas and sophomore outside Sophia Sommesi, who combined for 18 kills, giving Benedictine an edge in both sets. Saint Mary’s was able to go on an 8-1 scoring run that helped them secure the third set. However, the fourth set was a different story.
Facing a potential loss, the Belles prepared a lineup for the fifth set; however, the spastic electricity in the crowd, a key substitution, clutch aces and Carens’ composure helped shift the momentum and ultimately led to the team’s comeback.
Coach Denise Van De Walle made a split-second decision to substitute freshman Maddie Taitano into the front-row setter position, and this could not have been more perfectly executed. Analyzing the defense, she opted for a setter dump instead of feeding one of the hitters, catching Benedictine on their heels and earning the point for Saint Mary’s. That single play sparked a major shift and jumpstarted an 8-1 scoring run for the Belles.
Although the Belles defense and offense were consistent until the end, it was their serving game that kept them in the match even when it seemed out of reach. Not only did Graczyk deliver two essential aces to help Saint Mary’s get eight back-to-back points, but Carens’ consistency and calm presence on the serving line was what brought it home. Benedictine’s energetic bench was relentless, filling every serve with special cheers and dance moves to distract their opponents. Carens’ confidence, however, didn’t waver. She stood unfazed, kept her composure and aggressively served the Eagles, forcing them out-of-system and setting up pivotal points that clutched the win.
Carens finished the night with 16 kills, just under her career record of 19, a number she hopes to surpass by the end of the season. With this level of play, Saint Mary’s is sure to remain a tough challenge for anyone in the MIAA and has a high chance of having one of their best seasons yet.
Saint Mary’s plans to continue their win streak at home this Friday at 7 p.m. against Manchester.
