BOXSCORE

WINONA, Minn. -- Barbara Simmons (SR, Minneapolis, Minn./South HS) led Augsburg College with a career-high 19 kills as the Auggie volleyball team claimed a thrilling five-set victory over host St. Mary's University in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action in Winona on Wednesday. With the win, Augsburg claimed its sixth consecutive victory in five-set matches over MIAC opponents, dating back to a 3-2 win over Macalester College on Oct. 1, 2008.

The Auggies jumped out to a quick 7-1 lead to start the first set, capitalizing off three St. Mary's hitting errors and a pair of kills by Simmons. The Cardinals fought back and tied things up at 10-10. Neither team could pull away as the set was tied six more times before the Auggies could take advantage of a Cardinal serving error and put the set away with a kill from Katie Christensen (JR, North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS), claiming a 27-25 victory.

Augsburg again started well in the second set , taking a 4-1 lead off a pair of kills by Simmons and one from Lauren Butler (FY, Burnsville, Minn.). St. Mary's tied things up at 12-12 and used a run late in the match to pull ahead 20-17 and force and Augsburg timeout. The Auggies were not able to put away their final attack attempts and dropped the second set 20-25.

The third set found St. Mary's taking an early 7-0 lead and it was Augsburg that had to play catch-up. The Auggies were sparked by a pair of service aces from Denielle Johnson (JR, Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park HS) which brought the Auggies within two, at 18-20. Augsburg made too many mistakes down the home stretch as the Cardinals claimed a 25-22 win.

In the fourth set, Augsburg claimed an early 9-4 lead and would never look back. The Auggies held St. Mary's to a .021 hitting percentage as they scored a 25-21 victory to force a deciding fifth set.

St. Mary's jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the deciding set, but the Auggies rallied back with kills by Butler and Amanda Unze (FY, Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska HS) to tie things up at 3-3. Both teams battled back-and-forth until a pair of kills by Simmons allowed the Auggies to take a 10-7 lead and force a St. Mary's timeout. Augsburg played well down the home stretch and sealed the 15-10 win with a kill by Unze.

Offensively, Simmons led the Auggies with 19 kills, hitting .515, followed by Christensen with 10. Shanna Reed (SR, Eagan, Minn./Holy Angels HS) led Augsburg with 30 assists, while Johnson chipped in nine. Dani Tanaka (SR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) continued to anchor the Auggie defense, leading five Augsburg players with double-digit digs. Tanaka posted 23 digs and was followed by Jessica Hilk (JR, Waconia, Minn./Mayer Lutheran HS) with 15, Reed and Korri Yule (JR, Medford, Minn.) each with 12 and Johnson with 11.

Augsburg and St. Mary's both return to action on Friday-Saturday (9/18-19) when they travel to Indianola, Iowa for the Simpson College Invitational.