Volleyball 9/12/01 -- St. Mary's 3, Augsburg 0

BOXSCORE

STORY FROM SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

WINONA, Minn. (9/12/01) -- The Saint Mary's University volleyball team opened defense of its Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season title in impressive fashion Wednesday, blanking visiting Augsburg College 3-0 (30-24, 30-24, 30-23). The victory is the second in six matches for the Cardinals (1-0 MIAC, 2-4 overall), while Augsburg falls to 2-7 overall (0-1 MIAC).

Seniors Rhonda Thibault (Sr., Faribault, Minn./Bethlehem Academy HS) and Leslie Nicholls (Sr., Hastings, Minn.) -- the only starters back from last year's first-ever conference title-winning team -- were unstoppable, collecting 14 and 12 kills, respectively. Thibault hit a stellar .650 (20 attempts, 1 error), while Nicholls picked up her 12 kills on 26 attempts with five errors (.269).

Ashley Dingels (Fr., Gibbon, Minn./G-F-W HS) chipped in eight kills, while Tracy Koertgen (Fr., Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South HS) tallied seven. Melissa Cowan (Jr., Algonquin, Ill./Jacobs HS) distributed 33 assists and a team-high six service aces.

Denise Foster (Jr., Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS) finished with seven kills, hitting .375, to pace Augsburg. Laura Wagner (Fr., West Bend, Wis./West Bend West HS) had seven kills, hitting .250, with three blocks. Amy Degner (Fr., Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins HS) had 18 assists, two service aces and six digs. Kelly Larvick (Jr., Good Thunder, Minn./Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial HS) had four kills and three blocks.

Augsburg returns to action next Wednesday (9/19) at 7:30 p.m., hosting Hamline at Ernie Anderson Court at Si Melby Hall. The Auggies also host an alumni match on Friday (9/14) at 7:30 p.m. and a junior varsity tournament on Saturday (9/15). St. Mary's returns to action on Friday and Saturday at the St. Benedict Tournament in St. Joseph, Minn.

St. Mary's (2-4 overall, 1-0 MIAC) def. Augsburg (2-7, 0-1) 30-24, 30-24, 30-23
Sept. 12, 2001 at SMU Gym, Winona, Minn.

Augsburg leaders:
Kills -- Laura Wagner 7, Denise Foster 7, Kelly Larvick 4, Lisa Miller 3.
Assists -- Amy Degner 18, Kelly Larvick 3.
Blocks -- Kelly Larvick 3, Laura Wagner 3, Kristy Larson 2, Lisa Miller 2.
Digs -- Denise Foster 6, Amy Degner 6, Laura Wagner 6, Paula Pogatchnik 4.
Service Aces -- Denise Foster 2, Amy Degner 2, Lisa Miller 2.

St. Mary's leaders:
Kills -- Rhonda Thibault 14, Leslie Nicholls 12, Ashley Dingels 8, Tracy Koertgen 7.
Assists -- Melissa Cowan 33.
Blocks -- Ashley Dingels 4 (1 solo), 5 with 1.
Digs -- Leslie Nicholls 13, Kristan Royzer 9, Melissa Cowan 4.
Service Aces -- Melissa Cowan 6, Leslie Nicholls 3, Maisa Rouzer 2.