Volleyball 10/15/08 -- Augsburg 3, St. Olaf 2 (18-25, 27-25, 25-15, 13-25, 15-12)
MATCH BOXSCORE | AUGSBURG SEASON STATISTICS
MINNEAPOLIS (10/15/08) -- The Augsburg College volleyball team claimed a thrilling five-set victory over Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival St. Olaf College on Wednesday night at Si Melby Hall. The win snapped a 31-match losing streak to the Oles, which dated back to Sept. 25, 1989. With the victory over the Oles, Augsburg moves to 14-11 overall (2-5 MIAC) while St. Olaf falls to 17-10 (3-4 MIAC). Set scores were 18-25, 27-25, 25-15, 13-25, 15-12.
Augsburg started slowly, allowing St. Olaf to score the first three points of the set. The Auggies came storming back, sparked by three kills from Katie Christensen (SO, North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS) to tie the score at 5-5. St. Olaf used solid hitting to take a 19-12 lead and force an Augsburg timeout. The lead proved to be too much as the Oles went on to a 25-18 victory.
The second set was very evenly matched as there were five lead changes throughout the set. Both teams traded points back and forth to an 8-8 tie. Augsburg and St. Olaf both were able to make short runs, but found themselves tied again at 19-19. St. Olaf took the lead at 24-23 but a kill by Dani Tanaka (JR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) gave the Auggies the serve and the momentum. A key block by Julie Jenkins (SR, Edina, Minn.) and Barbara Simmons (JR, Minneapolis, Minn./South HS), as well as a St. Olaf hitting error, sealed the 27-25 victory for Augsburg.
The third set was all Auggies. Augsburg out-hit, out-dug and out-blocked the Oles as they cruised to a 25-15 victory. A serving run by setter Shanna Reed (JR, Eagan, Minn./Holy Angels HS) widened the Auggies lead to 19-11. A kill by Simmons, as well as hitting errors by St. Olaf, was all the Auggies would need to get the win in the third set.
In a complete reversal of the previous set, St. Olaf came out aggressively and hit .357 and recorded five team blocks as they went on to record a 25-13 win over the Auggies in the fourth set. St. Olaf's Kim Smisek recorded seven kills in the set as she led her team to the victory.
Both teams played great volleyball in the fifth set. Things were tied up at 11-11 when kills by Simmons and Jenkins forced a St. Olaf timeout. Denielle Johnson (SO, Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park HS) used aggressive serving, as well as a huge block by Jenkins and Amanda Rueb (SR, Plymouth, Minn./West Lutheran HS), to seal the match victory for the Auggies.
For the match, Augsburg was led by Breann Woelfel (JR, Annandale, Minn.) and Jenkins, who both recorded kill-dig double-doubles on the night. Woelfel recorded 12 kills and 10 digs while Jenkins posted 11 kills, 10 digs and seven blocks. Also finishing with double-digit kills for the Auggies was Christensen with 12 and Simmons with 11. Defensively, Augsburg was led by the duo of Jessica Hilk (SO, Waconia, Minn./Mayer Lutheran HS) and Tanaka who recorded 20 and 19 digs respectively.
St. Olaf was led by Smisek with 20 kills and 15 digs. Also having a big night for the Oles was libero Alyssa Williams, who recorded 22 digs and setter Kelly Prunty, who posted 44 assists.
Augsburg returns to MIAC play on Wednesday (10/22) at 7 p.m., hosting Bethel University at Si Melby Hall.
