By Teddy Menor

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ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict volleyball team returns home from its trip to the Elmhurst Tournament in Chicago to face off against MIAC rival Augsburg. After going 1-3 last weekend, the Blazers are sitting at 9-5 and look to capitalize on their conference matchup tonight.
 
About the Auggies: The Augsburg volleyball team currently has a record of 11-3 and is ranked No. 2 in the MIAC.  After starting the season 2-2, the Auggies have built up a lot of momentum by winning nine of their last ten games. Ashley Peper leads the team with 186 kills this season and Courtney Lemke already has 413 set assists. Mackensie Menke leads the defense with 230 digs and Colleen Ourada has 39 total blocks.
 
Last Year: After starting the season 11-0 last season, the Blazers were handed their first loss of the season thanks to a 3-0 sweep from Augsburg. The Auggies were ranked No. 10 in the country at the time, but the Blazers kept all three sets very close. The two teams matched up again in the MIAC Tournament and the Blazers went on to take a 3-1 win over the 13th-ranked Auggies.
 
The Storyline: The Blazers suffered three tough losses last weekend to some highly ranked teams.  They aim to bounce back with a big win against one of the best teams in the MIAC. The Blazers will also be looking to start off a six-game conference run with a win against the Auggies to re-gain their momentum.
 
Who to Watch: Laura Schmitt currently leads the Blazers with 144 kills this season with Mary Franz adding another 117. Franz also leads the team with 39 total blocks. Taya Kockelman is in second in the MIAC and 12^th in the NCAA Division III with 10.52 assists per set and Victoria Nass sits in fourth place in the MIAC with 257 digs.
 
Last Time Out: In the Blazers' last time out, they finished the Elmhurst Tournament with a 3-0 sweep against No. 13 Elmhurst College. In the first set, the Blazers took a 25-23 win. They followed with a 25-15 and 25-19 win to finish the sweep. Schmitt led the offense with 12 kills and Lexi Rinde added another 10 kills. Victoria Nass finished the night with 13 digs and Gabi Narvaez totaled 12 more.