SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana volleyball team may not have had a competitive season in 2020, but it held a spring scrimmage season that allowed for outside competition. Although it wasn't typical, head coach Jennifer Jacobs is excited about the improvements the team made and the future that lies ahead.
"The scrimmages definitely always help," Jacobs said. We were able to play against other teams, which allows us to see what we can truly do."
Like the other fall sports at Augustana, the Viking volleyball team wasn't able to compete in the fall, forcing the scrimmages as a way for meaningful competition.
"As I sit here today, it's been over 550 days since this team has competed in a full match, a match for a record, a match in front of a full officiating crew," Jacobs added.
"The team looked great as we finished up the crazy year. This team has managed to not only maintain where we were coming off of the 2019 season, but we have gotten much better and are all looking forward to true matches this fall."
When asked to reflect on the season, outside hitter Grace Haberland said this.
"This spring, the team was able to grow together on and off the court. We never got to spend the same amount of time together this fall, since we did not have a season, so this spring was key to get some more time together.
"I think the biggest take-away from this spring was that we are good enough to compete with anyone in our conference."
Though a majority of the team will return for 2021, the Vikings did celebrate a pair of seniors in the year-end banquet. Abby Benson and Izzy Sommers will move on in their professional careers after graduating from Augustana.
Benson played in 58 matches and 190 total sets during her Viking career. She tallied 293 kills for an average of 1.5 per set. She had a total of 167 total blocks over her career. She accumulated 387 total points during her time playing for Augustana with an average of 2.0 points per set. Her single game-highs include 12 kills, 30 attacks, and six blocks. Benson is a two-time NSIC Fall Academic Team of Excellence and an NSIC Academic All-NSIC Selection.
Sommers played in 59 matches and 209 total sets during her Viking career. She tallied 397 kills for an average of 1.9 kills per set. She had a total of 120 total blocks over her tenure. She accumulated 470 total points during her career with an average of 2.5 points per set. Her single-game highs include 14 kills, 33 attacks, and five blocks. Sommers is a two-time NSIC Fall Academic Team of Excellence honoree and an NSIC Academic All-NSIC Selection.
In the returners category, there are a number of category leaders from 2019 including All-NSIC selections in Avery Thorson and Erika Bute. Thorson led the team in assists at 10.11 per set while Bute was the team leader with 5.4 digs per set. That placed her second in the NSIC in 2019.
As the team turns the page to the summer, Coach Jacobs makes one thing clear, "We are looking forward to competing in a true match this fall."
That first match is slated for Sept. 3 at the Tampa Volleyball Classic in Tampa, Florida, where the Vikings open with Northwest Missouri State followed by contests with Tampa, Ashland and Illinois Springfield.
--GoAugie.com--
