SAINT PETER, Minn. – The No. 8 Gustavus volleyball team begins its postseason tonight in the MIAC semifinals against Augsburg. The top-seeded Gusties enter the match having won their last 17 with a 25-2 overall record. The fifth-seeded Auggies advanced to the semifinals with a five-set win at Bethel on Tuesday and boast a 22-7 overall record. Tonight’s match is a rematch of last season’s MIAC quarterfinal, which Augsburg won in four sets.
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GUSTIES IN THE POSTSEASON
MIAC Playoff appearances: 28
NCAA Playoff appearances: 7 (1984, 85, 86, 2008, 2015, 16, 17)
All-time record in the postseason: 95-58-6
Furthest into postseason: NCAA quarterfinals (1984, 2017) *1984 was 24-team field and Gusties received a first-round bye, 2017 was 64-team field
REGULAR SEASON RESULT – GUSTIES VS. AUGGIES
Last Wednesday night in Minneapolis, the Gusties defeated Augsburg in four sets 24-26, 25-20, 25-20, 25-16. Gustavus recorded 109 digs in the match, marking the most single match digs since Oct. 17, 2011 when it tallied 120 in five sets against UW-La Crosse. The dig total was also the most in four sets since the Gusties posted 114 against Austin College in 2008.
Kate Holtan (So., Rochester, Minn.) continued her hot streak on the attack with a match-high 21 kills and .292 hitting percentage after 48 swings. Add her 22 digs and Holtan recorded her 13 double-double this season with one in each of the previous five matches.
One day removed from being named AVCA Player of the Week, Nora Holtan (Sr., Rochester, Minn.) tied a season-high with 53 assists. She also added 14 digs and a pair of service aces for her 11th double-double of the season. Lauren Hanson (Sr., Redwood Falls, Minn.) joined the double-double party with 11 kills and a career-high 14 digs. On the back row, Hailey Embacher (So., Mankato, Minn.) recorded a career-high 28 digs to lead the defense.
The first set featured 14 ties and neither team led by more than three points throughout the entire set. The Gusties held set point at 24-23, but the Auggies got a kill to tie the score and consecutive attack errors on Gustavus gave the home team the first set victory.
Gustavus responded by jumping out to an 8-4 lead in the second set before the Auggies rattled off four-straight points midway through to take a 16-14 lead and force a Gustie timeout. The Black and Gold tied the score at 19-19 and followed with a 7-1 run to close out the set.
Augsburg held a 9-5 advantage to start the third frame before Gustavus ensued with another 7-1 run to claim the lead. Augsburg took it right back at 18-15 but the visitors finished the set on a 10-2 spree.
The two squads traded blows to start the fourth set but the Gusties were able to create separation midway through to secure the victory.
FOR THE FOES
Augsburg erased a 2-0 deficit Tuesday night at Bethel and won the next three sets to claim an upset victory. Megan Quam led the attack with 16 kills, while Morgan Malley had 54 assists and 29 digs. The Auggies registered season highs with 131 digs, 68 kills, and 66 assists in only their second five set match this year. After 29 matches this season, Augsburg averages 13.2 kills per set with a .234 hitting percentage. Corrina Evans leads the offense with 267 kills (2.62 per set) and a .321 hitting percentage. She is also a defensive force at the net with 101 total blocks. Malley directs traffic on the floor with 10.01 assists per set. She also leads the team with 29 aces. And Macey Terhell is the leading defender, averaging 5.27 digs per set.