MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The Augsburg University volleyball team earned two thrilling five-set match victories on the opening day of the Augsburg Invitational at Si Melby Hall. The Auggies defeated No. 12-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater and then No. 4-ranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the nightcap.
THE BASICS - AUGSBURG VS. UW-WHITEWATER
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg def. UW-Whitewater 3-2 (25-22, 23-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-8)
LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 4-1, UW-Whitewater 5-1
HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST UW-WHITEWATER
• Augsburg won the first set, dropped the next two, then came back in dominating fashion to win in the fifth set. The Auggies out-hit the Warhawks .214 to .121, while also claiming the advantage in team blocks 12.5 to nine, and digs 82-73.
• The Augsburg offense was lead by
Kayla Gjerde (SO, Afton, Minn./Stillwater HS) and
Jade Boysen (SO, Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) who had 11 kills each. Gjerde added 20 digs and an assist, while Boysen had three digs, three block assists and an assist.
•
Jade Fullerton (SO, Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View HS) added 10 kills to the Augsburg offense, while also collecting four block assists and three digs.
• Leading the team on the defensive side of the net,
Corrina Evans (JR, Blaine, Minn./Blaine HS) had eight blocks (five solo, three assists). Evans added six kills, four digs and an assist.
• Setters
Izzy Barr (SO, River Falls, Wis./River Falls HS) and
Lexie Lang (SO, Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS), split duties in Augsburg's 6-2 alignment and earned 27 and 19 assists, respectively. Barr also notched 13 digs and three service aces, while Lang had five digs and five kills.
•
Jaelin Rios (SR, Champlin, Minn./Totino Grace HS) had a match-high 22 digs, and adding two assists.
FOR THE FOES (UW-WHITEWATER)
• The Warhawks offense was led by Chloe Buescher and Rachel Butterfield, with 13 kills each.
• Morgan Jensen had a team-best 20 digs.
THE BASICS - AUGSBURG VS. UW-EAU CLAIRE
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg def. UW-Eau Claire 3-2 (25-19, 22-25, 21-25, 25-19, 15-9)
LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 5-1, UW-Eau Claire 3-3
HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST UW-EAU CLAIRE
• Augsburg claimed its second victory of the day in similar fashion as it's first, coming back from a 1-2 set deficit to earn victories in the fourth and fifth set. The Auggies were fierce at the net, claiming 17 team blocks to the Blugolds' five. Fullerton had a match-best 13 blocks, adding five kills.
Megan Quam (SR, Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS) followed with nine block assists and five kills.
• Fullerton's 13 total blocks (all assists) were the second-most in a match by an Auggie in the rally scoring era (since 2001), with the most being a 14-block (all assists) effort by
Nikolene Miller in a match against Saint Benedict on Sept. 20, 2010.
• Augsburg's 17.0 team blocks were the fourth-most in a single match in the rally scoring error (since 2001), with the most being a 20.5-block effort against Minnesota Morris on Sept. 25, 2017.
• Gjerde led the Augsburg offense again, claiming a team-best 16 kills, and adding 17 digs, three assists and a block assist. Evans also posted double-digit kills with 14, and earned five blocks (one solo), three assists, two digs and a service ace.
• Outside hitter
Maddie Nierengarten (JR, Foley, Minn./Princeton HS), contributed 19 digs, six kills, three block assists and two service aces to the win. Defensive specialist Rios had 21 digs, three assists and an ace.
• Barr led Augsburg with 27 assists, adding 12 digs and a service ace.
FOR THE FOES (UW-EAU CLAIRE)
• Arianna Barrett led the Blugolds with 16 kills, adding 11 digs, three blocks (two assists, one solo, an assist and a service ace.
• Taylor Scalia picked up a match-high 23 digs.
UP NEXT
• Augsburg returns to action Saturday (9/7) for the second day of the Augsburg Invitational at Si Melby Hall. The Auggies face UMass-Boston at 12:30 p.m. and Dubuque (Iowa) at 5:30 p.m.
