MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire women's volleyball team split on the final day of the Augsburg Invitational, beating ninth-ranked University of St. Thomas (Minn.) 3-1 before falling to 22nd-ranked Augsburg College (Minn.) 3-0.
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The Blugolds and Tommies went back and forth most of the match as the final set scores were 25-18, 11-25, 25-23, 25-21. The win over St. Thomas was the Blugolds' first since a 3-2 victory in Eau Claire on Oct. 16, 2007 and was the first win away from Eau Claire against the Tommies since Oct. 28, 2005.
In the first set, the Blugolds jumped out to a 5-1 lead and never trailed the rest of the set. While the Tommies got back to within one point, the Blugolds used a 5-0 run late in the set to build a nine-point advantage, their largest of the set, at 22-13 before winning 25-18.
In the second set, Eau Claire started with a 3-0 lead but the Tommies then outscored the Blugolds 12-2 and the Blugolds were unable to recover after that.
The third set was the closest of the match and the teams found themselves tied 11 times. With the score 22-22, the Blugolds were able to hold on by outscoring the Tommies 3-1 for the 25-23 victory.
Eau Claire got out to an 11-6 lead in the fourth set but St. Thomas went on a 7-2 run to tie the score at 13. Eau Claire was able to get back up by as many as five points and while the Blugolds narrowly led late (23-21) a Tommie service error gave the Blugolds a point and the ball and Talia Jaskulske (Fr.-Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) was able to score the final point with a service ace to give the Blugolds the win.
Katrina Raskie (So.-Weston, Wis./D.C. Everest) led the Blugolds with 15 kills while Megan Tracy (Sr.-New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper) added 11. Three Blugolds reached double figured in digs while Jamie Dimka (Jr.-Wausau, Wis./East) leading the way with 20. Dimka also had a match-high five service aces while the Blugolds recorded a total of nine. Jenna Smits (Jr.-Green Bay, Wis./Preble) led the team with 43 set assists.
After an impressive match against St. Thomas, the Blugolds stumbled against Augsburg, a team they beat 3-0 one week again. The Auggies won 25-11, 25-15, 28-26.
Augsburg never trailed in either of the first two sets but the third set was a different story. While the score was tied on four occasions, Augsburg never led until very late in the set, 26-25. After a final tie at 26, the Auggies were able to get the final two points to capture the win.
Raskie again led the Blugolds with 11 kills while Dimka had 17 digs. Smits finished with a team-best 30 set assists.
Eau Claire is now 4-4 on the season. At the end of the Augsburg Invite, Raskie and Tracy were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Wednesday, the Blugolds will be back in action at Viterbo University for a match beginning at 7 p.m. The V-Hawks are ranked No. 15 in the NAIA preseason top 25 poll.
-KAM-
