The Pipers split their two game series last weekend, which allowed them to remain in the hunt for the MIAC playoffs. Heading into their final three games, the team has a chance to control their conference destiny in the home stretch of the season.

Prior to the team’s conference games against St. Thomas and Bethel, they were in a three way tie for fifth place with St. Mary’s and Gustavus. Due to tiebreaker regulations, the Pipers were placed in the sixth spot out of 12. Senior captain Sam Greeney-Hamlin hopes the team will be able to maintain their spot because only the top six teams will qualify for MIAC playoffs.

“Our game against Bethel is a huge game because if we win we’ll keep that spot [in the MIAC],” Greeney-Hamlin said last Thursday. “Bethel will put up a fight; they’re not going to just lay-down.”

Greeney-Hamlin said the team focused on self-improvement rather than their opposition during their practices.

“We were getting ready to take care of what we can control,” she said.

Junior captain Lynsey Reimer added to that philosophy.

“If we do everything that we need to do right, regardless of what they do, we are going to win,” she said. “That’s just how our season has been going.”

Reimer explained the team is highly competitive in practice during the week and that’s what prepares them to execute on game day. The coaching staff puts an emphasis on competition. This means all players must battle for their spot in the lineup every practice.

“No one is safe. That’s why every single day we come in and work our asses off in practice,” Reimer said. “You don’t get to have a day off because if you get to have a day off then you don’t get your spot the next day at the game…so as far as competing, for sure we’re ready to go.”

Their thorough preparation translated into Friday night’s home game where they were able to pull out a 3-1 victory over Bethel. This allowed them to improve their MIAC record, and also remain in the race for playoffs.

Reimer said home court advantage would help them pull out the victory.

“It’s a big deal that we’re at home because tight games like that, it’s the fans that win the game for you,” she said.

On Friday, the stadium was packed with over 570 people in attendance, according to Hamline University’s athletics webpage. The raucous crowd was decked out in pink in support of the team’s cause for Breast Cancer Awareness. Fans cheered the women on as the Pipers dominated in the first two sets to take an early 2-0 lead over the Royals.

After the break, Bethel fought back and gave the Pipers their best just as Greeney-Hamlin predicted. Unfortunately, Bethel managed to win the third set; however, the Pipers closed the game out in the next set to pick up the win. After the game, the team showed their appreciation for the crowd. They ran over to the fan section to perform the “Piper clap,” and riled up the crowd even more.

“It’s like a seventh player on the court to have the crowd involved and cheering us on. I think it does a lot more than people realize,” Greeney-Hamlin said.

The next day the Pipers traveled to St. Thomas to take on the second ranked team in the MIAC. Reimer said the team didn’t fear playing against a nationally ranked team, but knew it would be no easy task.

“St. Thomas is beatable, they got beat by Concordia. … We took a set from Concordia,” Reimer said. “In the MIAC, when it is so close any night can be any team’s game. It’s not a given…everyone’s vulnerable.”

Although the Pipers were swept by the Tommies the following day, the team kept it close each set, and did not back down. Greeney-Hamlin also achieved a milestone as she scored her 1000th kill. This made her the eighth player in school history to score over 1000 points for the Pipers.

The Pipers 1-1 record this past weekend has kept them in the MIAC playoff hunt. They are once again in a three way tie for fifth place under St. Mary’s. This time around Macalester is the third party behind the Pipers instead of Gustavus as the Gusties lost both of their conference games last weekend.

The Pipers have three conference games remaining before playoff spots are finalized. After Wednesday night’s game against St. Benedict they will travel to St. Catherine on Oct. 26, and will travel to Carleton on Nov. 1. A victory in all three games will guarantee them a playoff spot. However, a few loses could take them out of the playoff race.

Reimer believes the team has completely transformed from the beginning of the season until now and will continue to improve and make the playoffs.

“We’ve grown a lot as a team just from the beginning of the season until now. We are really gelling together and I think if we could just stick with that, no drama and just focus on us we’ll do it,” Reimer said.