Volleyball 10/29/08 -- Augsburg 3, St. Catherine 2 (23-25, 25-9, 21-25, 26-24, 15-13)
MATCH BOXSCORE | AUGSBURG SEASON STATISTICS
ST. PAUL, Minn. (10/29/08) -- The Augsburg College volleyball team claimed its fourth consecutive five-set victory over a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponent with a 3-2 victory over the College of St. Catherine on Wednesday night at the Butler Center. With the win, the Auggies move into a tie for the sixth and final MIAC postseason playoff spot. Additionally, the Auggies claimed win No. 17 on the season, which ties the most wins for an Augsburg volleyball team since the 1998 season. Augsburg defeated St. Catherine by scores of 23-25, 25-9, 21-25, 26-24, and 15-13.
Augsburg used a balanced offensive attack and a strong defensive effort to take the come-from-behind victory from the Wildcats. The Auggies had five players with double-digit kills, as well as five with double-digit digs. Leading the way offensively for the Auggies was Barbara Simmons (JR, Minneapolis, Minn./South HS) who recorded 14 kills on 25 attempts (.440) while also posting 3 blocks.
The Auggies had three players record double-doubles against St. Catherine. Julie Jenkins (SR, Edina, Minn.) posted her fourth consecutive kill-dig double-double by posting 12 kills and 15 digs. Breann Woelfel (JR, Annandale, Minn.) recorded an 11 kill, 15 dig double-double while Shanna Reed (JR, Eagan, Minn./Holy Angels HS) posted a 41 assist, 15 dig double-double.
Also hitting double figures for the Auggies were Katie Christensen (SO, North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS) and Amanda Rueb (SR, Plymouth, Minn./West Lutheran HS), who recorded 11 and 10 kills respectively. On the defensive side, Dani Tanaka (JR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) and Jessica Hilk (SO, Waconia, Minn./Mayer Lutheran HS) led the Auggies. Tanaka posted 23 digs to lead all players while Hilk contributed 10 digs as Augsburg out-dug St. Catherine 87-68.
In the first set, the Auggies were able to jump out to an early 9-7 lead on a pair of kills by Simmons. St. Catherine would tie things up at 10-10 and neither team would be able to distance themselves as the score was again tied at 20-20. The Wildcats were able to use a pair of kills by Kayla Sis to seal the 25-23 first set victory.
It was all Augsburg in the second set as the Auggies hit .458 and cruised to a 25-9 win. The third set found the Auggies with an early 10-4 deficit. A determined Augsburg team was able to rally back and get the score within three at 21-24 but the Auggies couldn't hold on as St. Catherine went on to win 25-21.
In the fourth set, the Auggies found themselves with an early 7-4 lead off a pair of kills by Simmons and Jenkins. The Wildcats would rally back to tie things up at 9-9. Both teams played very evenly matched volleyball throughout the middle of the set and again found themselves ties at 20-20. St. Catherine would take a 24-22 game-point lead but the Auggies came storming back and scored the next four consecutive points to take the 26-24 come-from-behind victory.
Augsburg used strong serving by Reed who recorded two service aces to start the deciding fifth set with a 5-0 lead. The Wildcats would come back to tie things up at 8-8 but Augsburg was able to take advantage of three St. Catherine errors as the Auggies claimed the fifth set victory 15-13.
St. Catherine was led offensively by Megan Ahlbrecht, who recorded 12 kills and 6 blocks. Defensively, the Wildcats were led by the duo of Nicole Neumann and Maria Hoffman, who both posted 14 digs on the night. Setter Whitney Sparby recorded 34 assists in the match.
Augsburg closes the regular season with a crucial MIAC matchup on Saturday (11/1) at 3 p.m., when they travel to the University of St. Thomas to take on the MIAC-leading Tommies.
