Weekend preview

Another busy weekend in Auggie sports ... here's the preview.

Just one home event this weekend, and it's a biggie -- the Auggie football team hosting Wartburg (Iowa) in the home-opener on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Edor Nelson Field. I haven't heard so much buzz on campus regarding a home football game in a long time. It's great! Record the USC-Ohio State game on your DVR and get to Augsburg for this one -- you won't want to miss it!

It's shaping up to be a great battle. Since the nonconference series between the two ELCA schools was restarted in 2004, there have been numerous close games -- a three-point loss in 2004, another three-point loss in 2005, and last year's miracle 14-13 victory in Waverly, Iowa. Both teams opened this season with impressive wins, as Augsburg topped Crown 49-14 and Wartburg topped St. Norbert (Wis.) 44-20. For the full game notes, click here (PDF).

Just a reminder, if you can't make it to Edor Nelson Field, you can listen to Tom Witschen's call of the game online, watch live stats, and follow the action right here on the ol' AugBlog! Kelly Anderson Diercks is going to be doing a live blog during the game.

The volleyball team is in Waverly, Iowa, this weekend for the Wartburg Invitational. Action starts today with matches against Coe (Iowa) and Nebraska Wesleyan, and tomorrow starting at 11 a.m., with matches against Simpson (Iowa) and Wartburg. Augsburg has had a strong start to the season, with a 6-3 record entering this weekend's play. Updated scores will be posted on Wartburg's site (click here).

Coe is 1-5 on the season, with its lone win a five-set triumph over Transylvania (Pa.) in the Elmhurst (Ill.) tournament on Aug. 30. Nebraska Wesleyan is actually opening its season this weekend, but the Prairie Wolves have been a very successful team over the years. NWU has appeared in the last four NCAA Division III national tournaments, and are coming off a 17-12 campaign last year. Simpson is 4-1, with one of those wins a five-set triumph over regional power Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Aug. 30. Wartburg is 2-4 on the season, coming off a close five-set loss to Wisconsin-Platteville on Wednesday night.

The men's soccer team, fresh off a 3-0 triumph at Concordia-Moorhead on Wednesday, has a challenging conference test at Hamline on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. Augsburg is still unbeaten (3-0-1), and has given up just two goals so far this season. Hamline has started the season 3-3, but won its conference-opening game on Wednesday, with a 1-0 triumph at Bethel.

The women's soccer team has the final game of its three-game road trek against NCAA Division III national tournament teams from last year on Saturday, with a 3 p.m. nonconference game at St. Scholastica in Duluth. The Auggies are 3-1-1 on the season, coming off a 0-0, scoreless tie in their conference-opener at Concordia-Moorhead on Wednesday. St. Scholastica is 5-0-0 for the first time in school history, with three double-overtime victories in the string.

The men's and women's cross country teams are back in action this Saturday, competing at the Tufts (Mass.) Jumbo Invitational in Grafton, Mass. Coach Dennis Barker has taken his teams to the East Coast for meets on several occasions, a great team-building exercise. The young Auggies had a very good opening meet with Bethel back on Aug. 30, and have been training hard for this weekend's adventure in the Boston area.

The men's golf team had a strong showing with a fifth-place finish at the Augsburg Invitational last weekend, and will compete against another deep field at the St. John's Fall Invitational this Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's round is at the GreyStone Golf Club in Sauk Centre, with Sunday's round at Blackberry Ridge Golf Course in Sartell.

The women's golf team competed at the Concordia-Moorhead Invitational last weekend, continuing to show improvement with a young roster under coach Laura Patrick. This weekend, the Auggies compete at the Carleton Division III Midwest Classic at the Majestic Oak Golf Club in Ham Lake.

-- Don Stoner