The fifth-seeded Gustavus volleyball team is set to face the fourth-seeded University of St. Thomas at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday night in the first round of the MIAC Tournament. This will be the Gusties’ first playoff appearance since the conference narrowed the playoff field to six teams in 2001. Gustavus and St. Thomas finished the regular season with identical conference records of 8-3, but the Tommies were given the higher seed and home court advantage because of their four-game victory in the September 25th match between the two teams.
Since its prior match against the Tommies, Coach Kari Eckheart’s squad has gone 7-2 en route to their best overall winning percentage since 1985, including victories over three other MIAC playoff teams. St. Thomas has gone 12-6 in that stretch and posted a third place finish in the UW-River Falls Tournament this past weekend. The winner of Tuesday’s match will travel to Northfield on Thursday to face Carleton College, the number one seed in the tournament.