Volleyball 10/17/03 -- Augsburg 3, St. Catherine 0

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (10/17/03) -- Elsie Ginsberg (Fr., St. Paul, Minn./Central HS) had a career night, with 17 kills, 11 digs and six blocks, leading Augsburg College to its first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference home victory in two seasons, a three-game sweep of the College of St. Catherine on Friday night at Si Melby Hall.

Ginsberg hit .438 with just three errors in 32 attempts, as Augsburg claimed the win by scores of 30-23, 30-27, 33-31. Her 17 kills were a high for an Auggie this season.

Augsburg improved to 3-17 overall and 1-8 with the win, breaking a 16-match MIAC losing streak dating back to last season. It was Augsburg's first home win in conference play since a victory over Hamline at Si Melby Hall on Sept. 19, 2001. Augsburg had lost 14 straight conference home matches before Friday's triumph.

Britt Bogner (So., Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) also had a career night and a double-double for the Auggies, with 10 kills and 12 digs. She added three service aces and a block.

Stacey Burns (Jr., Le Sueur, Minn.) had 17 kills, 11 digs, two blocks (one solo) and four service aces for St. Catherine, now 3-18 overall and 0-8 in MIAC play.

Augsburg trailed early in the first game 7-6 before rallying with a 10-3 run to take a 16-10 advantage. St. Catherine rallied back to tie the match at 18-18, but a 12-5 run sealed the first game for the Auggies. Billie Painschab (So., Howard Lake, Minn./Howard Lake-Waverly HS) and Ginsberg had a block and kill apiece in the closing run. Ginsberg had five kills in the first game, with Bogner contributing four.

Ginsberg had five kills and Bogner four in the second game, as Augsburg held the lead nearly the entire game, holding off several Wildcat rallis. Kristy Larson (Jr., Pine Island, Minn.) had four kills in the second game for the Auggies.

Augsburg did the rallying in the final game, falling behind by four points on five different occasions before storming back for the victory. Trailing 26-22, Larson had two kills and a block, with Ginsberg adding a service ace -- just her fourth of the season -- to bring the Auggies to a 26-26 tie.

Augsburg faced game point at 29-28, but tied the match at 29-29 on a kill by Linnea Evans (So., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS). Ginsberg scored three of Augsburg's four points down the stretch on kills, with Bogner adding the match-winning kill to give the Auggies the 33-31 win.

Ginsberg had seven kills in the third game, while Burns had eight kills in the game to lead St. Catherine.

Larson had nine kills and two blocks for the Auggies, with Evans adding eight kills and eight digs. Painschab had four kills and six blocks. Alexis Johnson (So., Oakdale, Minn./North St. Paul HS) had 31 assists and 15 digs, with Anna Piermantier (Sr., Afton, Minn./Stillwater HS) adding seven assists and nine digs. Alli Burgess (Sr., Soudan, Minn./Tower-Soudan HS) also had nine digs.

Amy Pommerening (So., Menasha, Wis.) had eight kills for St. Catherine, with Nicole Haase (Fr., Bertha, Minn.) adding seven kills and Katie Jones (Sr., Alpha, Minn.) contributing five while hitting .400 (one error in 10 attempts). Patty Bredemus (Sr., Coon Rapids, Minn.) had 19 digs, while Bridget Holman (Fr., Springfield, Minn.) and Lindsay Wolf (Fr., Gig Harbor, Wash.) had nine digs each. Haley Woods (Fr., Bellevue, Wash.) had 33 assists and five digs.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday (10/18) at 3 p.m. in MIAC play. Augsburg hosts St. Mary's in its final home match of the season at Si Melby Hall, while St. Catherine hosts Macalester.