Article courtesy of Matt Higgins, MIAC Assistant Executive Director
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Gustavus volleyball team continued its remarkable run, going 4-0 last week to run its winning streak to 18 in a row. First-year setter Nora Holtan (Rochester, Minn./Mayo) has been a key contributor throughout the streak, and starred last week with 162 assists – 11.57 per set – in addition to 17 kills, 33 digs, four aces and five total blocks. For her performance, the MIAC sports information directors honored Holtan Monday with the MIAC Volleyball Setter/Libero-of-the-Week award.
Holtan started her big week with 46 and 51 assists, respectively, in a pair of 3-1 nonconference wins over Martin Luther and Waldorf, and she added 15 digs in the win over Waldorf and four kills in each victory. She had 32 assists, four kills and four blocks in a 3-0 MIAC victory over Carleton, and she capped the week with 33 assists, nine digs and five kills in a 3-0 sweep of UW-Superior. This season, Holtan ranks second in the MIAC with 574 assists and third with her average of 8.44 assists per set. She has 169 assists to rank third in conference play, an her average of 9.94 assists per set in MIAC matches is second-best in the league.
Thanks to last week’s four wins, the Gusties have now won 18-straight matches to improve to 18-2 overall. Gustavus is the lone undefeated squad in the MIAC at 6-0, and it is receiving votes in the AVCA top 25 poll. This week, the Gusties hope to keep the streak going with a home MIAC match Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Macalester, and Saturday it will host the Gustavus Quadrangular with nonconference matches against Simpson (12 p.m.) and Loras (3 p.m.).