MATCH STATISTICS:
BUENA VISTA | MARTIN LUTHER | CROWN

NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- The Augsburg College volleyball team kicked off its season on the right foot Friday and Saturday in Northfield, starting the season 3-0 with victories over Buena Vista University, Martin Luther College and Crown College at the St. Olaf/Carleton Invitational. Augsburg's Shanna Reed (SR, Eagan, Minn./Holy Angels HS) and Barbara Simmons (SR, Minneapolis/South HS) were named to the eight-player All-Tournament Team.

In the Auggies opening match against Buena Vista (25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19) on Friday, Barbara Simmons and Katie Christensen (JR, North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS) led the way offensively, each recording 11 kills in the match. Defensively, the Auggies had five players record double-digit digs. Leading the way was Dani Tanaka (SR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) with 32 digs, followed by Lauren Butler (FY, Burnsville, Minn.) with 14, Denielle Johnson (JR, Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park HS) with 13 and Christensen and Reed, who each had 11. Reed also led Augsburg with 40 assists in the match.

Augsburg began Saturday with a four-set victory over Martin Luther (25-27, 25-19 , 25-14, 25-10), where it was led again by Christensen and Simmons, who recorded 12 and eight kills respectively. Christensen also led the Auggies defensively recording 11 digs in the match, followed closely by Tanaka, who posted 10 digs. At the net, Simmons led the Auggies with five blocks (two solo), while Erin Jugasek (JR, Big Lake, Minn.) chipped in four blocks (two solo). Reed posted 31 assists in captaining the Augsburg offense.

In their final match of the tournament, the Auggies cruised to a three-set victory over Crown (25-12, 25-11, 25-13). Augsburg hit the ball extremely well against Crown, posting a .458 hitting percentage in the second set and a .370 hitting percentage in the third set. Christensen continued to lead Augsburg offensively posting 12 kills, while newcomer Amanda Unze (FY, Chanhassen, Minn./Chaska HS) added seven kills. Simmons continued to play well at the net, posting a team-leading six blocks (one solo), while Christensen chipped in five. Defensively, Butler led the Auggies with 11 digs, while Tanaka and Christensen each chipped in nine.

The Auggies return to action on Wednesday (9/9) when they host the College of St. Scholastica and Wisconsin-River Falls at the Augsburg Triangular tournament at Si Melby Hall.