Austin Packers volleyball falls to Albert Lea 3-1 Tuesday evening

The Austin Packers volleyball team was looking to get back on the winning track at Packer Gym Tuesday evening in a Big 9 Conference showdown with I-90 rival Albert Lea, and it was the Tigers coming away with a 3-1 victory with scores of 25-18, 25-20, 15-25 and 25-23.

The Packers were led offensively by Ava Denzer, who tallied eight kills, four digs and one ace block, Peyton Manahan supplied six kills, two set assists, plus she was one of two Packers with 10+ digs with 10, and an ace serve, Emily Hjelmen racked up four kills, three digs and one ace block, Isabella Bolster tallied three kills and one ace block, Alia Retterath put down three kills, plus she added seven digs and led Austin in set assists with 12 and in ace serves with three, Nora Tweeten had three kills, three digs defensively and one block, Mary Eich tallied two kills and one set assist for the Packers Tuesday evening and Kristen Nielsen led Austin in digs Tuesday night with 15, plus she added three set assists and one ace serve.

With the loss, the Packers are now 1-3 in the Big 9 Conference and 2-9 overall on the season, and Austin’s next match will pit them against the Northfield Raiders, the No. 3 team in the state in Class AAAA Thursday night in Northfield, with the varsity action scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.