BOXSCORE MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 13-ranked Augsburg College volleyball team finished its regular season competition with a nonconference sweep over the University of Wisconsin-River Falls at Si Melby Hall on Saturday morning, winning by scores of 25-13, 25-15 and 25-10.

The Minnesota Intercolliegate Athletic Conference regular-season co-champion Auggies (28-3 overall), ranked No. 13 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III national rankings, dominated the match from start to finish and picked up their 22nd sweep of the season. Augsburg hit .278 as a team and blocked 10.5 Falcon attacks, contributing  to UW-River Falls' (16-15 overall, 3-5 WIAC) hitting percentage of -.088. The Falcons also had 31 attacking errors compared to Augsburg's 11. 

It was the last regular season home match for three Augsburg seniors, Colleen Ourada (SR, Omaha, Neb./Mercy HS), Katelyn Berens (SR, Jordan, Minn./Prior Lake HS), and Emily McCourt (SR, Sun Prairie, Wis.). Coach Jane Backer said of the seniors: "All three of our seniors have truly impacted the Auggie volleyball program as talented athletes, inspiring leaders, and amazing peole. As you have inspired those around you here at Augsburg, we have no doubt you will continue to do so as you graduate and move on into your careers. You will always have a family here at Augsburg behind you. Good luck and thank you for all you've done for this team."

The first set saw the scored tied three times and the lead change twice early, but Augsburg used an 11-1 run to lead 17-7 and secured the set one win, 25-13. The Auggies jumped out to early leads in the second and third sets, with scores of 12-3 and 10-0, before closing out the three-set match with scores of 25-15 and 25-10. 

Leading the Auggie attack were two of the top three hitters in the MIAC, Ashley Peper (SO, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) and Ourada. Peper finished with 15 kills, while hitting .316, and added seven digs and three blocks. Ourada recorded 11 kills, hitting .417, picked up nine digs and three solo blocks.

Jaelyn Arndt (FY, Minneaoplis, Minn/Washburn HS) and Taylor Trautman (FY, Hutchinson, Minn) were also key contributers with five kills apiece, while Arndt added 5 blocks (one solo) and Trautman picked up three blocks. 

Senior setter McCourt finished with 26 assists and seven digs, while also serving Augsburg to a 10-0 start in the third set. Two first-year setters added three assists -- Alison Plieseis (FY, Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur Henderson HS) and Courtney Lemke (FY, Brownton, Minn./Glencoe-Silver Lake HS). Lemke added two kills, hitting .667, and two digs as well. 

The Auggies will share the MIAC regular-season championship with St. Thomas (26-2 overall), which also finished the season with a 10-1 record in MIAC play. St. Thomas has the No. 1 seed in the six-team MIAC playoffs, by virtue of its win this season over the Auggies in head-to-head play. Both teams will have first-round byes in the MIAC playoffs.

Augsburg will host its semifinal game next Thursday (11/7) at 7 p.m. at Si Melby Hall, hosting the winner of Tuesday's (11/5) first-round match between No. 6-seed Hamline and No. 3-seed Saint Benedict.