The Buena Vista volleyball team picked up a four-set win over UC-Santa Cruz to begin its night at the St. Catherine Tournament before the host school rallied back to win the final two sets and take a five-set thriller over the Beavers in the nightcap.

UC-Santa Cruz (6-17) scored the final two points of the opening set to win 25-23 before the Beavers hung tough the rest of the match as they battled back for a 26-24 triumph in the second followed by 25-18 and 25-20 triumphs to close the door.

Kylie Roe turned in a team-high 15 kills for the Beavers, while Sydney McLaren followed closely with a double-double at 14 kills and 16 digs.  Makenzie Gropel dished out 44 assists and also added 16 digs, Summer Goss had 20 digs and six assists, and Brooke Runneberg had nine kills and five total blocks.

BVU finished with a .199 attack percentage for the match while holding UC-SC to only a .122 clip.

Against the Wildcats (10-9) in the final match of the day, BVU fought back after dropping the first set 25-18, to win the next two each by scores of 25-20.  The tank kind of ran dry for BVU a bit after that, as St. Catherine's pulled out a 25-21 triumph in set four before holding off the Beavers 15-13 in the fifth.

McLaren was big at the net with 20 kills and a .245 attack percentage and would also go on to add 18 digs for her 10th double-double of the year.  She now sits with 225 kills on the year and is one dig shy of 200.  Roe also turned in a double-double with 18 kills and 16 digs while Runneberg tallied 14 kills and five total blocks.  Gropel dished out 46 assists and is closing in on 700 for the year and also posted a career-high 21 digs.

Summer Goss chalked up 30 digs and nine assists while Jade Hays had 15 digs.

Buena Vista sits at 11-9 on the year and will play its final non-conference tilt of the season on October 17 at Bethany Lutheran.  The team then returns home for pivotal American Rivers Conference matches against Coe on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Luther on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.