MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – The 4^th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire volleyball team faced UMass.-Boston and Augsburg University at the Auggie Invite on Friday night, with the Blugolds picking up a win in the first match before falling in the second.  

UMass.-Boston box score | Augsburg box score

In the first match of the night, the Blugolds defeated UMass.-Boston (25-19, 25-21, 25-11). Arianna Barrett (So. – Lakeville, MN/North) and Mackenzie Bachmann (Jr. – Chaska, MN/Chaska) each tallied 10 kills while Bachmann also recorded 14 digs to lead UW-Eau Claire. Barrett and Taylor Scalia (Jr. – Lake Elmo, MN/Stillwater) also added had double-digit digs with 11 and 13, respectively.

Leah Witzel (Jr. – Woodbury, MN/East Ridge) dished out 16 assists and Abbey Pederson (So. – Canby, MN) added 13 in the win. As a team, Eau Claire improved their hitting percentage each set, hitting .269, .360 and .381. Scalia also served up four aces while Barrett tallied three.

In the nightcap, Eau Claire fell to the Auggies, 3-2. The back-and forth match saw Augsburg take set one (19-25) before the Blugolds stormed back to win the next two (25-22, 25-21). However, the Auggies would not go quietly on their home court and battled to win set four by a score of 25-19. In the decisive fifth set, Augsburg kept the momentum, winning by a score of 15-9 to hand the Blugolds their third loss of the season.

Barrett led the team with 16 kills while Abby Volk (So. – Wilmar, MN) and Kendra Baierl (Jr. – Marshfield, WI/Columbus Catholic) each tallied 13 kills. Pederson recorded 33 assists while Scalia racked up 23 digs.
The Blugolds (3-3) will finish the Auggie Invite with a match-up with George Fox at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

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