Gustavus Adolphus middle hitter Angela Ahrendt (Shoreview, Minn.) was named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Volleyball Hitter-of-the-Week for her consistent and outstanding play at the net last week. The Gusties went 4-1 on the week, defeating Hamline 3-2 on Wednesday and registering a 3-1 record to finish runner-up at the UW-Oshkosh Tournament on Friday and Saturday.
Ahrendt set the tone for a strong four-day span with a 16-kill (.371) performance in the Dink Pink match against Hamline on Wednesday in St. Peter. The Rosevill Area product is currently averaging 3.26 kills per set (7th/MIAC) and hitting at a .305 percentage (5th/MIAC) against MIAC opponents this season.
At the UW-Oshkosh Tournament held Friday and Saturday, Ahrendt wasn’t fazed by the six-hour bus trip to Oshkosh, Wis., recording double-figure kills in both Gustavus’ opening day matches. She hit the floor with 19 kills, her second-highest total of the season, in a 3-2 victory over UW-La Crosse, and 15 kills in a 3-1 loss to Dominican University. On the following day, Ahrendt notched nine kills in a 3-0 win over Saint Mary’s College before capping the tournament with 16 kills and no errors in a 3-0 sweep of host UW-Oshkosh.
The Shoreview, Minn. native tallied 59 kills with eight errors in the tournament, finishing with an attack percentage of .340. Angela was also named to the All-Tournament Team following play. It is the second All-Tournament team that Ahrendt has been selected to this season, as she also earned All-Tournament Team recognition at the season-opening Pikes Peak Challenge.
The senior captain is currently averaging 3.57 kills per set with a team-high 314 total on the year. She ranks fifth in the league in hitting percentage at .337.
The Gustavus volleyball team is in the midst of the playoff hunt, entering the weekend at 5-2 in league play and 18-7 overall. The Gusties will hit the road for two grueling tests against MIAC leaders Concordia and Saint Benedict this weekend. Head Coach Rachelle Dosch’s squad will face Concordia at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday night in Moorhead before boarding the bus and heading back to St. Joseph to face Saint Ben’s at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.