MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The UW-Eau Claire volleyball team lost its first match 3-2 to Macalester College (Minn.) but followed it up with a 3-0 victory over host Augsburg College (Minn.) on the opening day of the 2008 Augsburg College Invitational.

The Blugolds looked like they would be able to easily handle Macalester, after winning the first set 25-11, but Macalester bounced back and eventually beat Eau Claire 25-22 in the second set. In the third set, the Blugolds again won 25-10 and Macalester followed with another close victory of 25-23. In the fifth set, Macalester took the match from the Blugolds, winning 15-11.

Eau Claire outperformed Macalester in every statistical category, however. For the match, the Blugolds hit .167 with 56 kills. As a team they accumulated 52 assists, 12 service aces, 71 digs and 17 blocks (one solo, 16 assists). Macalester, on the other hand, had 29 kills, hitting .046, and totaled 29 assists, six service aces, 54 digs and 14 blocks (two solos and 12 assists).

Emily Zupon (So.-Antigo, Wis.) led the match with 20 kills and a hitting percentage of .341. Emily Haese (Sr.-Mishicot, Wis.) led the match with 37 assists, while Lindsey Smith (Jr.-Maple Lake, Minn.) led both teams with 17 digs. With six blocks (one solo and five assists), Katie Fox (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chi-Hi) was the match leader.

Against Augsburg in the day's second match, the Blugolds swept the Auggies with scores of 25-17, 25-9 and 25-22. The Blugolds hit .170 in the match while Augsburg hit -.054. Augsburg was also only able to come up with 11 kills, six assists, one service ace and seven blocks, while the Blugolds had 37, 33, nine and 13, respectively.

Zupon once again led both teams with 15 kills and a hitting percentage of .414. Abby Freiborg (Sr.-Sacred Heart, Minn./Renville County West) had a match-high five aces and a team-leading 10 digs, while Haese led the match with 27 assists.

The Blugolds are now 3-3 on the season. Macalester improved to 3-0 after defeating the Blugolds and Augsburg fell to 5-2.

The Blugolds will be back on the court tomorrow at 9 a.m. with a match against Schreiner (Texas). They will then compete again at either 1 or 3 p.m.

Eau Claire-Macalester Box Score

Eau Claire-Augsburg Box Score

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