Volleyball 9/27/02 -- Macalester 3, Augsburg 0

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (9/27/02) -- Bethany Tate (So., Charlotte, N.C./Myers Park HS) had 13 kills as Macalester College rallied from deficits twice to claim a three-game sweep of host Augsburg College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference volleyball match Friday night at Si Melby Hall.

The Scots rallied from deficits of 25-13 and 27-22 in the second game, and from a 6-1 deficit in the third game to complte the sweep and improve to 7-9 overall, 2-1 in MIAC play. Augsburg dropped to 2-11 overall and 1-2 in the MIAC. Game scores were 30-20, 30-27 and 30-23.

As a team, Macalester hit a strong .282 with 49 kills, committing just 14 attack errors -- 10 in the second game. The Scots had just three errors in dominating the first game and only one error in the final game. By contract, Augsburg was limited to a .090 hitting night, wtih 23 errors and 35 kills.

Augsburg jumped out to a 23-13 lead in the second game, as Lisa Miller (Sr., Hanover, Minn./Buffalo HS) converted two service aces and Kristy Larson (So., Pine Island, Minn.) had four kills. But Macalester rallied to take the game and momentum in the match, primarily on the heels of Tate. Tate closed the game for Macalester with four kills among the final 15 points, and served out the game after the Scots trailed 27-23 with the final seven points.

Miller had three kills in Augsburg's first six points of the third game, but the Scots stormed back to tie the game and take the lead. Melody Sakazaki (Sr., Tokyo, Japan/American School) had three kills in a rally that gave the Scots a 10-7 lead, and the Scots never trailed after that point.

Carley Bomstad (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn.) nearly had a double-double for Macalester, wtih 12 kills, nine digs and two blocks. Sakazaki had 11 kills, six digs and a solo block. Sarah Graves (Jr., Lawrence, Kan./Lawrence Free State HS) and Amanda Slyker (Fr., Hardin, Mont.) had 15 assists apiece, with Graves adding 11 digs and four blocks. May Lin Kessenich (So., Milford, Conn./Foran HS) had 14 digs. Maggie Buttermore (Fr., Lincoln, Neb./East HS) had 12 digs and three blocks.

Miller had eight kills to lead the Auggies, while Larson and Linnea Evans (Fr., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS) had seven kills apiece, with Larson adding two blocks and Evans contributing nine digs. Kelly Larvick (Sr., Good Thunder, Minn./Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial HS) had six kills, 11 digs and four blocks (one solo). Denise Foster (Sr., Little Canada, Minn./Roseville HS) had six kills, eight digs and a solo block. Anna Piermantier (Jr., Afton, Minn./Stillwater HS) contributed 24 assists and a team-high 16 digs.

Both teams return to action on Saturday (9/28). Macalester hosts Bethel at 3 p.m., while Augsburg hosts Carleton at 4:30 p.m.