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Ole Volleyball finishes third at Augburg Invite

Brie Mattson
September 11, 2002

The St. Olaf Volleyball team began to pave their way to another hopeful season in the MIAC Conference with a 3-1 record at the Augsburg Invitational held at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis. The tournament hosted 8 teams to duke it out for the championship title.

The Oles began with a rough start against University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The competition was high but the readiness was lacking; players commented on the general lull in the mood from a normally excited team chemistry. The luck was not to be on the Oles side when Andrea Cuff (Jr., Seattle, Washington) went up to bury a ball, only to land on a sweat-slicked floor and take her out of the match and possibly the entire season with a knee injury. Obviously this event took some momentum out of the Ole's arsenal, but the girls continued for a valiant effort and ended the match with the scores 25-30, 29-31, 30-27, and 16-30.

Onward the Oles fought to grasp their old chemistry again and continue a tradition of "never-say-die" attitude on the volleyball court knowing the importance of a match up against a fellow MIAC member. Their next match up that night was against the host of the tournament, Augsburg College.

The Oles were far more prepared and had a little vengence in mind, though the vengence lay more in their own desire to play more crisp, Ole-style volleyball than earlier that night. The team took the momentum and ran with the volleyball the entire match. With a team now starting 3 seniors, 1 junior, 1 sophomore (libero), and 2 freshman, there is leadership in experience as well as a sense of no fear from the freshman. The match was victorious with scores of 30-19, 30-15, and 30-7.

The next day the Oles finished off their pool play against the College of St. Scholastica (Duluth, MN). Though some competition was given to the Oles, 3 weeks of hard training pushed the players through tournament fatigue and the infamous morning tiredness. A remarkable offense from seniors Emily Ganzkow-Wold (Madison, WI) and Shannah Olson (Elk River, MN), the Oles proved too much for the Saints. The scores were 30-26, 19-30, 30-23, 30-22. This match place the team in 2nd place in their pool and a match up against Macalester College for 3rd place in the tournament.

Having yet another MIAC match up, the Oles fired themselves up to prove a point to the Pre-season polls. The match was long and hard fought, but the Oles prevailed with impeccable defense and effective, aggressive serving. The Scots provided an offense of wide variety, coming from all angles of the court, but the Oles countered every move with some hustle and great digging. With the team on a mission for another MIAC championship, the score boards read 30-16, 19-30, 30-25, 30-18.

Leaving the tournament with a third place finish was not nearly as important as the team leaving with a better sense of chemistry and focus on their common goals for the season ahead of them. The preparation thus far for the St. Olaf Volleyball team has been one of searching for the inspiration to believe that their hard work and team work can give them all that they desire if only they stick to the straight road to the top. For many of the girls it's all they have ever known, for most of them it's all they have ever wanted. The next match up will be against a big conference rival, University of St. Thomas on September 18th (away). But the Oles will return for their first home game at Skoglund Athletic Center on September 25th to take on the Gusties of Gustavus Adolfus College. Be sure to come cheer your St. Olaf Volleyball team on as they strive for the MIAC championship title.

Contact Le Ann Finger at 507-786-3315 or finger@stolaf.edu.