SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Gustavus volleyball team wrapped up play at the Trinity National Invitational on Saturday with a pair of wins to improve to 3-1. The Gusties beat Aurora 3-1 and then swept Cabrini in straight sets.
Gustavus 3, Aurora 1 | BOX SCORE
In a rematch of the 2017 NCAA first round matchup, the Gusties repeated their performance from last year by winning in four sets, 17-25, 25-14, 25-9, 25-22.
Aurora took an early 4-1 lead in the opening set and never trailed. The second set saw Gustavus jump out to the early lead, 8-2, as it cruised to an 11-point decision. The third set was even more decisive in a 16-point difference. The clincher came in the fourth frame, but it was much more evenly-matched with five lead changes. The Gusties ended the set with an 8-4 run.
Gustavus hit .312 on the attack, led by Kate Holtan’s (So., Rochester, Minn.) and Hanna Albers’ (Sr., St. Louis, Mo.) 12 kills apiece. Kate Holtan added 14 digs for a double-double. Nora Holtan (Sr., Rochester, Minn.) had 36 assists and Brittany Luethmers (Sr., Prior Lake, Minn.) posted 22 digs.
Gustavus 3, Cabrini 0 | BOX SCORE
The Gusties closed out the tournament with a clean sweep over Cabrini, 25-17, 25-21, 25-13.
Gustavus fought back from an early 5-1 deficit in the first set, stringing together nine-straight points for a lead they would not give up.
The Gusties controlled the second set after a brief 1-0 deficit to climb in front and stay there for the rest of the frame. The third set saw the Black and Gold go on a 9-1 run early on and then hold on to complete the shutout.
The Gusties hit .308 on the attack and limited Cabrini to a -.032 percentage. Kate Holtan once again led the team with 12 kills. Nora Holtan tallied 26 assists and 12 digs for a double-double. She was two kills shy of a triple-double. Four Gusties registered double-figure digs, led by Luethmers’ 15.
“The first set against Aurora was a slow start,” Head Coach Rachelle Sherden said. “We had a tough time adjusting to the offensive pressure they put on us. By the second set we settled down and were able to play Gustie volleyball. I was pleased with our ability to refocus after a slow start. We started challenging them with our serve and blocking, which helped to control their strong middle attack. Lauren Hanson (Sr., Redwood Falls, Minn.) lit a fire attacking on the right side and Nora spread our offense to open up a lot for us. Our passing was outstanding in both matches. The passing combined with gritty defense allowed us to keep control and keep our offense dynamic.”
Nora Holtan and Luethmers were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Gustavus next travels to Dubuque, Iowa next weekend to play four matches in the Loras Invite.