BOXSCORE MOORHEAD, Minn. -- The No. 13-ranked Augsburg College volleyball team continued its historic regular season with a three-set sweep of Concordia-Moorhead (26-24, 25-18, 25-20) on Wednesday evening at Memorial Auditorium, claiming at least a share of its first-ever Minnesota Intercolliegate Athletic Conference regular-season championship.
The Auggies (27-3 overall, 10-1 MIAC) will share the conference championship if St. Thomas (25-2 overall, 9-1 MIAC) is able to beat Saint Mary's (23-7 overall, 6-4 MIAC) on Saturday. The Auggies, ranked No. 13 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III national poll, are guaranteed a first-round bye in the six-team conference postseason playoffs, and will host a semifinal match next Thursday (11/7) at Si Melby Hall. The conference playoff championship match is on Saturday, Nov. 9, with the winner receiving the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III national playoffs.
The championship is Augsburg's first regular-season MIAC title since the wrestling team won the final MIAC Team Duals in 2004, and it is the first conference crown for an Augsburg women's sport since the women's hockey team won the conference title in 2000, en route to its national runner-up finish.
The 27 wins are the most for an Augsburg volleyball team since a school-record 32-16 finish in the 1985 season, and are now tied for the fifth-most wins in a single season in the 42-season history of the Augsburg volleyball program.
Against Concordia (18-9 overall, 9-2 MIAC), Augsburg recorded its 21st sweep of the season, but it wasn't easy. The Cobbers led for the majority of the first set and had set point at 24-23, but the Auggies rallied late, scoring the final three points.
Colleen Ourada (SR, Omaha, Neb./Mercy HS) spiked home the set's final point on a set from
Emily McCourt (SR, Sun Prairie, Minn.) The second set was dominated by Augsburg, which led from start to finish, its biggest lead coming midway through the match at 20-12. The Auggies trailed early in the third set, but again took control and led 10-5 at one point early before grinding out the 25-20 win and three-set match victory.
Ourada claimed her 13th kill-dig double double of the season with 14 kills and 12 digs, adding three service aces and a block assist.
Ashley Peper (SO, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) recorded 17 kills, her 25th double-digit kill total this season, hitting .394. She picked up seven digs and a block assist. McCourt dished out 41 assists in the three-set match, while also picking up seven digs.
Others contributing for Augsburg were
Jessica Lillquist (SO, Sebeka, Minn.), with six kills and a solo block, while
Taylor Trautman (FY, Hutchinson, Minn.) recorded five kills, hitting .364, four digs and three blocks (one solo).
Mackensie Menke (JR, Prior Lake, Minn./Shakopee HS) and
Katelyn Berens (SR, Jordan, Minn./Prior Lake HS) continued their strong play on the backline, picking up 10 and nine digs respectively.
For Concordia, Kynndyl Ross recorded a double-digit kill total with 12, while Kayla Hampton picked up eight. Jena Klaphake and Mandy Mercial finished with 22 and 16 assists respectively.
Augsburg closes its regular season with a nonconference matchup with Wisconsin-River Falls on Saturday (11/2) at 11 a.m. at Si Melby Hall.
