No. 16 Women’s Lacrosse at No. 6 Wesleyan
NCAA Tournament First Round

Sunday, May 11 | 1:00 p.m.
Smith Field | Middletown, Conn.

WHAT TO KNOW

• No. 14 Babson earned an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament and is making its third straight appearance and 11th in program history. 

• The winner of Sunday’s second round contest will advance to the Round of 16 next weekend.

SERIES HISTORY

•    Babson is 6-12 all-time against Wesleyan in a series that dates back to 1994.

•    The Cardinals have won eight in a row against the Beavers since 2015.

•    The Green and White enters Sunday’s contest looking for its first road win in the series since 2012.

LAST MEETING

•    Olivia Lai and Laura Baine both finished with four goals and one assist to help Wesleyan defeat Babson, 15-5, on March 8, 2023, in Middletown, Conn.

•    Chessy Greenwald contributed two goals and three assists and Julia Noyes scooped up five ground balls and added three caused turnovers for the Cardinals, built an early 7-1 lead and ended the game with seven unanswered goals to pull away. 

•    Emily Curtis M’23 scored three times and had two caused turnovers, Claudia Dodge ’23 chipped in with two goals and senior Kathleen Murphy made a then-career-high 14 saves for the Beavers, who were down just 8-5 midway through the third quarter. 

SCOUTING THE BEAVERS

NCAA Tournament Appearance: 11th

Best NCAA Finish: Round of 16 (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2024)

• No. 16 Babson (15-3) has won 12 of its last 13 games after cruising past Worcester State 21-9 in the opening round of the tournament on Saturday afternoon.

• Senior Amelia Novitch finished with seven goals and six assists for a career-high 13 points, classmate Clare Connolly scored six times and matched her career high with 24 draw controls, and fellow senior Kathryn Blake added four goals and three assists for the Beavers, who took control of the game with a seven-goal first-quarter run and tallied nine straight markers in the second half to put the game away. 

• Novitch (41-41-82) and Blake (50-24-74) have both achieved new career highs in scoring, Connolly (58-3-61) leads the team in goals and ranks second in Division III in draw controls (235), and graduate student Ellie Hilsabeck (29-10-39), senior Jessica Evans (27-10-37) and classmate Michaela Downer (24-8-32) give the Green and White six players with at least 30 points.

• Evans is second on the team in ground balls (31), draw controls (27) and caused turnovers (17), graduate student Eileen Manning leads the defense with 25 caused turnovers and Murphy has a 9.00 goals against average and career-best .471 save percentage to go along with 18 forced turnovers.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS

NCAA Tournament Appearance: 7th

Best NCAA Finish: National semifinalist (2019)

•    No. 6 Wesleyan (13-5) has won seven of its last eight games and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time since 2017 after falling 13-7 to No. 1 Tufts in the NESCAC final last Sunday. 

•    Elle Priesing and Dylan Green both scored twice, Bridget Horst led all players with three caused turnovers and Izzy Weintraub finished with 10 saves for the Cardinals, who trailed 6-5 early in the second quarter before the Jumbos scored seven of the next eight goals to pull away. 

•    Sam DeLeo (25-23-48) has a point in all but one game this spring and leads the team in assists, Priesing (30-13-43) has converted 9-of-13 free-position chances, Green (27-16-43) is second on the squad with 26 draw controls, and Kiara Tangney (29-6-35) has contributed a team-high 32 draw controls to go along with 16 caused turnovers on the year.

•    Madeline Johnson leads the defense with 29 forced turnovers, Lindsey Diomede has picked up 27 ground balls to go along with 24 draw controls and 21 caused turnovers, and Weintraub ranks 17th in Division III in goals against average (7.74) and 26th nationally in save percentage (.504).

2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT RECAP

• After receiving a first-round bye, No. 15 Babson held off a second half rally to defeat No. 14 Stevens Institute of Technology, 11-9, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on May 12, 2024 at Springfield College’s Stagg Field.

• Lily Ives M’24 and Evans scored three goals apiece and Murphy made 14 saves in the win. Novitch scored two goals, Blake added a goal and two assists, and Nicole Darveau ’24 and Michaela Downer scored once each for the Green and White, while Connolly grabbed five draw controls.

• Babson had its five-game winning streak snapped in a 15-10 regional semifinal lost to No. 5 Salisbury. Novitch scored three goals to lead the Beavers while Ives tallied a goal and two assists. Connolly, Evans and Blake notched two goals apiece and Connolly collected a game-high 10 draw controls.  

NCAA POSTSEASON HISTORY

• After making five straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2007-11, the Beavers have competed in five of the last seven tournaments since 2017, compiling an aggregate record of 7-10 in 10 visits to the national tourney.

• The Beavers, have reached the Sweet 16 five times, recorded their first second round NCAA Tournament victory last season.

NINE BEAVERS EARN ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS

• Connolly was selected as the NEWMAC Offensive Player of the Year and Michelle Smith and her three assistants were honored as the Coaching Staff of the Year when the NEWMAC announced its postseason awards on Wednesday.

• Connolly was joined on the All-NEWMAC First Team by Manning, Murphy, Evans, Novitch, and sophomore Claire Jones, while Blake, senior Solana Fahey and sophomore Lyndsey Newsome earned Second Team honors.

RECORD-SETTING SATURDAY

• Novitch’s 13 points matched the Beavers’ NCAA Tournament single-game record set by Emily Curtis M’23, who put up eight goals and five assists in a 23-8 win over Westfield State in 2023. 

• Novitch also moved into second place on Babson’s single-season assists chart, and she and Blake became just the program’s sixth and seventh players over the last 12 years to surpass 70 points in a season.

• The Beavers recorded their 15th win of the year, which is tied with the 2007, 2009 and 2010 squads for the third most wins in a season behind only the the 2008 team that won 16 games and last year’s squad, which set a single-season record wtih 17 victories.

SENIOR MILESTONES

• Four Babson seniors have scored their 100th career goal this season, including Novitch (118), Blake (117), Connolly (116) and Evans (105), giving the program 23 100-goal scorers

• Connolly’s 758 draw controls are the most in Division III history and just 33 shy of the all-time NCAA record of 791 set by Maddie Jenner of Duke from 2019-23. 

• Novitch is now tied with Erin Jayne ’23 for fourth in school history with 77 assists and tied for 12th on the program’s career list with 195 points. has moved up to fifth on the career assist mark, and Blake (56) is 11th.

• Murphy owns the program records for victories with a 58-20 mark and minutes with 4212, and ranks fourth in saves (509). She currently ranks in the top-six all-time with a 9.29 goals against average and a .441 save percentage.

POSTSEASON NUMBERS

• Evans has recorded 32 points (26g, 6a) in 10 post-season games over the last three seasons, while Novitch has 23 points (17g, 6a) and Blake has 19 points (15g, 4a) in those 10 games.

• Connolly has collected 91 draw controls in 10 post-season games the past three years, and Manning has accumulated 16 caused turnovers and 22 ground balls over 12 career playoff games.

• Murphy has an 8-4 career record in 12 postseason starts with a 10.88 goals against average and a .428 save percentage.

BEAVER BITES

• Novitch has nine multi-goal performances in her last 11 games, totaling 13 games this season with at least two goals.

• Blake has scored at least two goals in 17 of her 18 games this spring, with a season-high five goals against both Coast Guard and Wellesley.

• Connolly has a team-high 12-game scoring streak, with multiple goals in 11 of those games.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

• Babson is 13-0 this season and 28-0 over the past two seasons when leading at halftime.

• The Beavers are 15-0 this season and 41-1 over the past three seasons when scoring 12 or more goals.

• The Green and White is 11-0 this season and 24-0 dating back to last season when recording more ground balls than their opponents.

• Babson is 9-2 away from Babson Park this season and 28-10 away from home since the start of the 2022 season.

UP NEXT

• The winner of Sunday’s game will face either 23rd-ranked Rowan or Western Connecticut State next Saturday. 

 

By: Ray Fisher


Sunday, May 11, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Emily Reiner has engineered quite a career as a student-athlete at Quaker Valley.

And she has mapped out a unique blueprint for college.

A senior and fourth-year starting goalkeeper on QV’s girls lacrosse team, Reiner also is a standout hockey player. As such, she has committed to continuing her career on the ice at the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

“I had USA Hockey Nationals in Wisconsin last year,” said Reiner, a 6-foot-2 forward, “so I emailed the coach at the Milwaukee School of Engineering because I knew I wanted to do something in that field. She came to a game, and we talked a lot and during this hockey season.

“I got a chance to go back there and tour, and I immediately loved the campus and people surrounding the hockey team and just knew it was the place for me. This year was actually their first year in history that they had a NCAA D3 women’s ice hockey team. This was definitely a building year for them since it was their first season.”

Milwaukee School of Engineering’s women’s hockey team competes in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, which operates in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Baylee Marabella was hired as MSOE’s coach in November of 2023. She played at the University of Wisconsin from 2014-2018. The Badgers made the Frozen Four in three of Marabella’s four seasons with the team.

The MSOE coach was not at a loss for words when talking about Reiner.

“I am so incredibly excited that Emily chose MSOE as her home for the next four years and cannot wait to see the growth and potential that she will exhibit,” Marabella said. “Emily is the kind of teammate who brings such a positive energy to every person lucky enough to cross her path. She leads by example in her relentless work ethic and willingness to learn and absorb everything she can, consistently aiming to be the best version of herself for her team.

“It’s no question that Emily is tall, a gift of hers that she has truly grown into this past year. Especially as a forward, this quality undoubtedly sets Emily apart from most, but it’s her ability to maintain the stick skills and skating talent that often is sacrificed. Emily is the opposite of what you would expect. She beautifully combines her height with her hands and scoring knack.”

The NCHA is an NCAA Division III hockey-only conference; members are St. Norbert, Adrian, Concordia Wisconsin, Lake Forest, Aurora, Marian, Trine, Lawrence, Dubuque and the MSE Raiders.

“The NCHA is a deeply competitive conference,” Marabella said. “It’s physical, demanding and challenging. Yet it is a conference in which each game is truly an opportunity to win, no matter where you are ranked. On any given day, those rankings can change drastically.

“Being in a conference against consistently nationally ranked opponents, we are often the underdog in our competitions within this league, and that’s the best place to be. Each game is weighted with the chance to change momentum, to prove ourselves to the rest of the teams — to make our presence known, respected and continue to push our way towards the top. I have the utmost confidence in Emily and next year’s team to make a true playoff push.”

The Raiders are a North American-based group. The states of Wisconsin and Minnesota were well-represented on the 2024-25 squad. Players also came from Missouri, Michigan, Wyoming, Tennessee, Colorado, Massachusetts, Florida and Nevada, along with Ontario and Manitoba.

Reiner will be the only player from Pennsylvania on next year’s team.

“Honestly, when I first started in this role, I imagined my team would primarily consist of Midwesterners. It was incredibly exciting to discover that was not the case at all,” Marabella said. “Our team entails a variety of individuals from so many different backgrounds and places — it certainly makes for a beautiful blend of a team culture.”

Reiner, 17, started playing hockey in the RMU learn to skate program at age 4 and began her lacrosse career during her summer before eighth grade, playing for SV Lax. She competed for the SHAHA Panthers in ninth and 10th grade and the Pittsburgh Steel City Selects in 11th and 12th grade.

“I also played lacrosse for PPLC in the summer of 2023,” Reiner said.

Reiner experienced an immediate attraction to the sport of hockey.

“I went to one of my cousin’s hockey games who played for Moon High School, and I loved it,” she said. “I begged my parents to let me play hockey; they signed me up for lessons at RMU and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

As a sixth grader, Reiner was one of 100 female 2007 birth-year players from around the world invited to take part in the Future Legends Hockey Hall of Fame Tournament in Toronto.

Reiner skated for the Pens Elite and Arctic Foxes 12U girls teams.

Reiner noted that her parents have been the biggest influence in her athletic career.

“Definitely my parents, by far,” she said. “Even though neither of them played ice hockey, they are the ones that have sacrificed and dedicated their time and money to me so I could even have the opportunity to play hockey now and in college. They have been my biggest supporters, and I will forever be grateful for that.”

Reiner is a leading skater in the PIHL girls division as a member of the West team.

“I did get the chance to see Emily play in person a few times,” Marabella said, “one of them distinctly in my mind because I remember she was terribly sick that weekend and somehow still managed to demand such a presence on the ice. I recall thinking, ‘This is the kind of player I want on my team.’

“She gave 110% effort despite not feeling her best, and it was a testament to not only her resilience as an athlete, but a reminder of her ‘team-first’ mentality.”

Continuing her hockey career while pursuing her long-range goals are two of the things that excite the long-limbed Reiner, an imposing player to opponents.

“It would be really cool to play in the PWHL,” she said, “but I want to really pursue the field of mechanical engineering and try to have a positive impact on the world through my field of work.

“I like keeping updated on the USA hockey girls and PWHL.”

One of Reiner’s early coaches on the PIHL West squad was Jeff Tindall, who was highly complimentary of the QV student-athlete.

“What a great kid and great hockey player,” he said. “She is taller than most of the girls, so she has a longer reach and definitely knows how to use her size. She’s an absolute joy to coach and a great teammate.”

Reiner has been playing hockey for two years with Steel City Selects. Her favorite on-ice memory with SCS was scoring the game-winner in overtime at last year’s MidAm finals to send her team to nationals.

“It was incredible,” Reiner said following the game. “It was such a big accomplishment beating our hometown rival, the South Pittsburgh Rebellion, 2-1, to win the championship.”

An outstanding student and hockey player, Reiner also is an accomplished goalkeeper in lacrosse. She racked up her 500th career save March 31 in the Quakers’ second game of the season against Mars.

“It was an incredible feeling,” Reiner said. “I knew I was very close last year, so it felt amazing to finally get it. It was really cool because my coach called a timeout when I got my 500th save and my whole team came running and cheering towards me to congratulate me.

“If someone would have told me I would have gotten 500 career saves when I was playing my first game as a freshman, I would have never believed them. It really all falls back on the people around me that push me every day on and off the field, without them I would have never had enough support to reach that milestone.”

Through May 5, Reiner had 104 saves this season, upping her career total to 574.

In the classroom, she has a 4.14 GPA, is a National Honor Society member and is a distinguished honor roll student at Quaker Valley.

“Emily is an extremely dedicated student,” Marabella said. “She exhibits the balance and time management needed to succeed at a school like MSOE and has a solid foundation in her family to support that.

“My expectation for her is to make an immediate impact on this team. I think, both academically and athletically, she is extremely prepared for the transition into the college atmosphere. I expect her to continue to excel in the classroom, as she has proven through her high school years, and be an integral part of our forward group and team-first culture.”

Reiner has been involved in the ACE Engineering Program and QV Creekers Environmental Club and has helped out a volunteer for Ohio River Sweep.

Tags: Sewickley Academy

It’s Mother’s Day Sunday and the tributes to moms all over are pouring in. Former LSU gymnast and viral influencer Livvy Dunne wished herself a Happy Mother’s Day with her dog Roux.

Now that Livvy Dunne’s five-year college gymnastics career has ended she has more time to spend with her White Golden Retriever. That is when she’s not traveling all over to watch boyfriend and Pittsburgh Pirates ace pitch, or doing “Riders Up” at the Kentucky Oaks in an elite pink dress followed by a black-and-white showstopper on Kentucky Derby day, or hitting the Florida beach with sister Julz Dunne in competing bikinis, or attending an alumni event from New York City in a Southern flavor fit.

RELATED: Livvy Dunne’s mom Kat steals spotlight with Churchill Downs fit in side-by-side photo

Dunne just completed her first semester of graduate school at Louisiana State University after earning her degree in interdisciplinary studies and loves to spend time with her girl Roux while going to school.

On Mother’s Day Sunday, Livvy first shared a mom team photo with her mother Katherine Dunne.

RELATED: Livvy Dunne’s dog Roux mesmerized watching ‘papa’ Paul Skenes pitch from couch

She then shared a Happy Mother’s Day to herself with Roux on the dog’s IG page, where Livvy wrote, “Happy Mother’s Day to my mama… I woof you mama #woof #food #mom”

Livvy followed it up with a hilarious post with Roux in the womb instead of a baby.

Happy Mother’s Day to Livvy Dunne for Roux, and Kat Dunne, and all moms out there.

— Enjoy free dish of rich and fabulous players with The Athlete Lifestyle on SI —

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Drama queen!: Jordan Chiles unrecognizable with new hair color at birthday party

Mom knows best: Livvy Dunne’s mom Kat steals spotlight in Derby side-by-side pic

Old man GOAT: Viral Tom Brady diss of Shedeur’s ridiculous $400k car resurfaces

Mrs. James FTW: LeBron’s wife Savannah steps out in bold fit while he’s injured

The second round of the 2025 NHL playoffs provided another night of entertaining hockey as the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights took another step toward the conference finals. The Hurricanes blanked the Washington Capitals in Game 3, and the Golden Knights needed last-second heroics from Reilly Smith.

In Raleigh, Frederik Andersen slammed the door shut on the Capitals’ offense for 60 minutes. Andersen stopped all 21 shots he faced for a 4-0 shutout win. He was excellent, and Carolina’s offense got contributions from up and down the lineup.

Andrei Svechnikov got the scoring started with a beautiful individual effort in the second period, and Jack Roslovic recorded two points in the win. On the Washington side, Logan Thompson struggled in net, allowing four goals on just 28 shots against. He’ll need a bounce back in Game 4 to even the series at two games apiece.

NHL Playoffs 2025: Reilly Smith’s buzzer-beater vs. Oilers headlines 3 Stars of the Night

Austin Nivison

On the other side of the continent, in Edmonton, the Golden Knights and Oilers looked like they were destined for overtime when Connor McDavid tied the score at 3 with just over three minutes left. Smith had other ideas.

With the clock was winding down in regulation, Smith picked up a loose puck in the high slot and made a brilliant play. He pump-faked a pair of Oilers, patiently walked around Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner and banked home the winning goal off Leon Draisaitl’s stick with 0.4 seconds left.

Sunday’s slate of games has a tough act to follow, but the matchups are primed for more fireworks. First, the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars will play a pivotal Game 3, and then the Toronto Maple Leafs will try to push the Florida Panthers to the brink of elimination.

For the complete schedule and results for every matchup, follow along right here at CBS Sports.

Round 2

(1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (3) Florida Panthers

Game 1: Maple Leafs 5, Panthers 4 | Recap
Game 2: Maple Leafs 4, Panthers 3 | Recap
Game 3: Panthers 5, Maple Leafs 4 (OT) | Recap
Game 4: Sunday, May 11 | 7:30 p.m. | at FLA | TBS/truTV/Max
Game 5: Wednesday, May 14 | 7 p.m. | at TOR | ESPN
*Game 6: Friday, May 16 | TBD | at FLA | TNT/truTV/Max
*Game 7: Sunday, May 18 | TBD | at TOR | TNT/Max

(1) Washington Capitals vs. (2) Carolina Hurricanes

Game 1: Hurricanes 2, Capitals 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 2: Capitals 3, Hurricanes 1 | Recap
Game 3: Hurricanes 4, Capitals 0 | Recap
Game 4: Monday, May 12 | 7 p.m. | at CAR | TNT/truTV/Max
Game 5: Thursday, May 15 | 7 p.m. | at WSH | TNT/truTV/Max
*Game 6: Saturday, May 17 | TBD | at CAR | TBD
*Game 7: Monday, May 19 | TBD | at WSH | ESPN

(1) Winnipeg Jets vs. (2) Dallas Stars

Game 1: Stars 3, Jets 2 | Recap
Game 2: Jets 4, Stars 0 | Recap
Game 3: Sunday, May 11 | 4:30 p.m. | at DAL | TBS/truTV/Max
Game 4: Tuesday, May 13 | 8 p.m. | at DAL | ESPN
Game 5: Thursday, May 15 | 9:30 p.m. | at Jets | TNT/truTV/Max
*Game 6: Saturday, May 17 | TBD | at DAL | TBD
*Game 7: Monday, May 19 | TBD | at WPG | ESPN

(1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (3) Edmonton Oilers

Game 1: Oilers 4, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 2: Oilers 5, Golden Knights 4 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Golden Knights 4, Oilers 3 | Recap
Game 4: Monday, May 12 | 9:30 p.m. | at EDM | TNT/truTV/Max
Game 5: Wednesday, May 14 | 9:30 p.m. | at VGK | ESPN
*Game 6: Friday, May 16 | TBD | at EDM | TNT/truTV/Max
*Game 7: Sunday, May 18 | TBD | at VGK | TNT/Max

Round 1

Game 1: Maple Leafs 6, Senators 2 | Recap
Game 2: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 4: Senators 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Senators 4, Maple Leafs 0 | Recap
Game 6: Maple Leafs 4, Senators 2  | Recap

Game 1: Panthers 6, Lightning 2 | Recap
Game 2: Panthers 2, Lightning 0 | Recap
Game 3: Lightning 5, Panthers 1 | Recap
Game 4: Panthers 4, Lightning 2 | Recap
Game 5: Panthers 6, Lightning 3 | Recap

(1) Washington Capitals vs. (WC2) Montreal Canadiens

Game 1: Capitals 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 2: Capitals 3, Canadiens 1 | Recap
Game 3: Canadiens 6, Capitals 3 | Recap
Game 4: Capitals 5, Canadiens 2 | Recap
Game 5: Capitals 4, Canadiens 1 | Recap

Game 1: Hurricanes 4, Devils 1 | Recap
Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Devils 1 | Recap
Game 3: Devils 3, Hurricanes 2 (2OT) | Recap
Game 4: Hurricanes 5, Devils 2 | Recap
Game 5: Hurricanes 5, Devils 4 (2OT) | Recap

Game 1: Jets 5, Blues 3 | Recap
Game 2: Jets 2, Blues 1 | Recap
Game 3: Blues 7, Jets 2 | Recap
Game 4: Blues 5, Jets 1 | Recap
Game 5: Jets 5, Blues 3 | Recap
Game 6: Blues 5, Jets 2 | Recap
Game 7: Jets 4, Blues 3 (2OT) | Recap

(2) Dallas Stars vs. (3) Colorado Avalanche

Game 1: Avalanche 5, Stars 1 | Recap
Game 2: Stars 4, Avalanche 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Stars 2, Avalanche 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 4: Avalanche 4, Stars 0 | Recap
Game 5: Stars 6, Avalanche 2 | Recap
Game 6: Avalanche 7, Stars 4 | Recap
Game 7: Stars 4, Avalanche 2 | Recap

Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Wild 2 | Recap
Game 2: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 3: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 4: Golden Knights 4, Wild 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Golden Knights 3, Wild 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 6: Golden Knights 3, Wild 2 | Recap

(2) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3) Edmonton Oilers

Game 1: Kings 6, Oilers 5 | Recap
Game 2: Kings 6, Oilers 2 | Recap
Game 3: Oilers 7, Kings 4 | Recap
Game 4: Oilers 4, Kings 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Oilers 3, Kings 1 | Recap
Game 6: Oilers 6, Kings 4 | Recap 

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – In its second elimination game of the day, the fourth-seeded St. Olaf College baseball team bowed out of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Baseball Playoffs with a 5-2 loss to second-seeded Bethel University on Friday evening at Becker Park.

After eliminating third-seeded Saint John’s University earlier in the day, St. Olaf (23-16) led 2-0 in the sixth thanks to home runs from junior Mason Buck and sophomore Kanen Kreafle, but Bethel (30-12) rallied with two in the sixth and three in the eighth to claim the come-from-behind win. With the win, the Royals will need to defeat nationally-ranked and top-seeded Gustavus Adolphus College twice on Saturday to secure the title.

The loss brought an end to the careers of St. Olaf’s senior class, which helped the Oles to back-to-back MIAC Playoff appearances in the last two seasons and a 2024 MIAC regular-season title.

Buck and Kreafle accounted for all four of St. Olaf’s hits in the loss. Buck was 2-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run, while Kreafle was 2-for-3 with his first collegiate home run.

In the longest start of his collegiate career, sophomore Nick Levasseur held Bethel to two runs on six hits with five walks and four strikeouts over 5.2 innings in a no-decision. Levasseur induced three double plays to help keep the Royals scoreless until the sixth.

In a scoreless game, Kreafle led off the top of the third with an opposite-field solo home run before Buck started the top of the fourth with a solo shot for his third homer of the season. Levasseur got out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the bottom of the fourth with a swinging strikeout.

Bethel tied the game in the sixth on a sacrifice fly followed by a two-out single to chase Levasseur, but sophomore Joey Haas got the Oles out of the inning with a strikeout to keep the game tied. The game remained tied until Isaac Call hit a two-run home run two batters into what turned into a three-run bottom of the eighth for the Royals.