Setter Katie Maher’s 27 assists lifted the No. 4-ranked Tommie volleyball team past the No. 7-ranked St. Benedict Blazers 3-2 Saturday at Schoenecker Arena.

With the win, the Tommies’ (27-2 overall) received a regional playoff berth. The Blazers will learn their playoff fate during Monday morning’s NCAA selection show.

The last time the Tommies faced the Blazers, St. Thomas stomped St. Benedict 3-0 in St. Joseph.

For outside hitter Jill Greenfield, having a place in the NCAA tournament didn’t distract the team from taking the MIAC championship title.

“I don’t think it affected us at all,” Greenfield said. “We go into every match … (with) the same game plan, which is play hard, and effort and attitude is all you can give.”

In the first set, Greenfield cranked a cross-court shot to level the score 4-4 early on. Blazer middle blocker Mary Franz gave the Tommies a run for their money when she pressed a solo block to push her team ahead 9-5. Then middle blocker Kelly Foley cranked a deep cross shot with the Tommies trailing 10-16. Blazer setter Taya Kockelman locked in a 25-19 first-set win for St. Benedict with her ace.

Coach Thanh Pham said Saturday’s victory was beneficial for both teams heading into the NCAA tournament.

“St. Ben’s is always a great opponent for us. We knew that they would bring it, so I was just happy that both teams competed so hard,” Pham said.

The second set proved to be in the Tommies’ favor when middle blockers Mackenzie Piechowski and Paige Brimeyer posted a double blocker, surging ahead 13-7. Greenfield put her team closer to securing set two when she pressed a solo block for a 22-10 lead. The Tommies took set two 25-10 over the Blazers.

Maher said the Blazers have stepped up their game since the teams last faced each other.

“We knew that they would come out with more intensity than they did the first time we played them,” Maher said. “We just tried to worry about our side of the court and what we could do.”

The Blazers took control in the third set when outside hitter Alexa Rinde tooled a Tommie block, leaving St. Thomas behind 11-7. Opposite hitter Sara Atkinson’s kill wasn’t enough to keep the Tommies afloat, the team trailing 23-16. The third set ended with a 25-16 Blazer victory.

Needing just one more set to win the match, the Blazers came into the fourth set on fire when Kockelman stunted the Tommie defense with her setter dump. Kockelman had a game-high 38 assists. Maher retaliated when she painted the back line with her service ace. Atkinson put another kill away, and the Tommies snatched set four 25-15.

Tied up entering the fifth set, outside hitter Nicole Potts crushed a ball. The Blazers’ defense was unprepared, and the score jumped to 12-10 in the Tommies’ favor. Brimeyer pummeled the ball three points later to give the Tommies a 15-11 fifth-set victory and the match.

Both teams will learn their regional playoff fate during the NCAA Tournament selection show Monday morning.

Pham said the Tommies will need to lay it all on the line as they approach NCAA play.

“It’s one and done. It’s a new season, so in order to play at our best, we’re going to have to make sure that we are at our best,” Pham said.

Sean Crotty can be reached at crot0230@stthomas.edu.