MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The Augsburg University volleyball team struggled to find its offensive rhythm and fell 3-1 to St. Olaf College in both teams' Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season-opener on Wednesday evening.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: St. Olaf def. Augsburg 3-1 (25-16, 25-20, 18-25, 28-26)
LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis, Minn. 
RECORDS: Augsburg 8-2 overall (0-1 MIAC), St. Olaf 9-1 overall (1-0 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Augsburg offense was held to a season-low .097 hitting percentage in the match, with just 38 kills and 23 errors in 154 attack attempts. Augsburg had 11 team blocks in the match, but could not overcome 57 kills by the Oles.
• St. Olaf claimed wins in the first two sets, and after Augsburg won the third set, the Auggies nearly forced a fifth. Augsburg led 24-19 in the fourth set, but the Oles strung together six straight points to take a 25-24 lead, eventually claiming the match with a 28-26 decision.
• Izzy Barr (FY, River Falls, Wis./River Falls HS) and Kayla Gjerde (FY, Afton, Minn./Stillwater HS) both posted double-doubles for the Auggies. Barr had 16 assists and 10 digs, while Gjerde contributed a team-best 10 kills to go along with 10 digs.
• Ellie Schwartz (JR, Woodbury, Minn.,/Hill Murray) hit a team-best .357 with seven kills. Schwartz and Jade Fullerton (FY, Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS) added five block assists each. 
• Morgan Malley (SR, Harmony, Minn./Fillmore Central HS) recorded 17 assists, to go along with six digs and an ace. With a team-best 20 digs, Macey Terhell (SR, Osceola, Wis./Osceola HS) led the Auggies defensively. 

FOR THE FOES
• Lauren Rewers had an outstanding night for the Oles, posting a match-high 18 kills, adding 13 digs. Megan Grimes also had 18 kills, and Summer Reid added 11 kills and 16 digs.
• Four St. Olaf players finished with double-digit digs, led by Haley Langeslag, who recorded 24. Lexi Wall had 42 assists and 20 digs for the Oles. 

UP NEXT
• Augsburg returns to action on Friday (9/14) at 5 p.m., taking on Edgewood (Wis.) at the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Sandy Schumacher Memorial Tournament.
• St. Olaf competes in a pair of nonconference matches against Wisconsin-Stout and Luther (Iowa) on Saturday (11/15) at Bethel University.