MINNEAPOLIS -- The Augsburg College volleyball team improved to 18-4 overall with a three set sweep over visitor Gustavus Adolphus College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match at Si Melby Hall.THE BASICSFINAL SCORE: Augsburg def. Gustavus 3-0 (25-8, 26-24, 25-17)LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, MinneapolisRECORDS: Augsburg 18-4 overall (6-1 MIAC), Gustavus 9-11 overall (4-3 MIAC) HOW IT HAPPENED• Ashley Peper (JR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) led all players with 12 kills, to go along with nine digs and an assist. Although it wasn't a great night for her attack percentage (.242), Peper still only committed four attacking errors in 33 attempts.Â
• Middle hitter Jessica Lillquist (JR, Sebeka, Minn.) has been hot lately, and tonight was no exception. Lillquist recorded eight kills with a .467 attack percentage, following up a career night against Hamline where she recorded 14 kills with an incredicble .591 attack percentage. Â
• Colleen Ourada (SR, Omaha, Neb./Mercy HS) also recorded eight kills, while commiting just one error in 31 attack attempts. Ourada finished with nine digs, three blocks and two service aces as well. Â
• Setter Courtney Lemke (SO, Brownton, Minn./Glencoe-Silver Lake HS) claimed 30 assists and 9 digs, and libero Mackensie Menke (SR, Prior Lake, Minn./Shakopee HS) had 18 digs. Â
• As a team, Augsburg hit .257 in the match, with 39 kills against just 10 attack errors in 113 attempts. The Auggies hit .440 (13 kills, 2 errors, 25 attacks) in the opening set.
• Augsburg had four team blocks in the match, while Gustavus recorded one.BEYOND THE BOXSCORE• The two head coaches, Jane Becker and Rachel Sherden, have quite the history, and one many coaches competing against each other on a regular basis don't share. •Â
First, they were teammates at the University of St. Thomas -- Sherden as a four-year starter and three-time All-MIAC honoree as an outside hitter, andÂ
Becker as a two-time AVCA Division III All-American as a setter. Becker earned All-MIAC honors each of her four seasons (2000-03), and was named MIAC Player of the Year in 2003. • If that isn't enough, t
hey were bridesmaids in each other's weddings, most recently for Sherden's in the summer of 2013.FOR THE FOES• Alyssa Taylor led the Gusties with 11 kills and a .476 attack percentage with only one error in 21 attempts. Janessa Jahnke finished with seven kills, while Becca Woodstra recorded six kills. • Marisa Morgan had 23 assists, while Abby Leitch was the only Gustie to tally double-digit digs with 12.UP NEXT• Augsburg travels to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Tournament to play four matches this weekend. The Auggies are slated to play Bethel, Luther, Central and UW-River Falls.• Gustauvs is traveling to the same tournament and over the course of the weekend will have matches against Central, UW-Stout, Luther and Bethel.
