Scouting The Gustavus Gusties
• 2020 RECAP: The Gusties played seven matches during the COVID-shortened fall-to-spring 2020 season, finishing with a 4-3 mark. Gustavus opened with wins in three of their first four matches — the lone setback in that time a 3-2 loss to Saint Mary’s on April 17 — before 1-2 in its final three contests. GAC played just two home matches, going 1-1, while finishing 3-2 away from Lund Center.
• ON THE ATTACK: The Gusties boasted a balanced offensive attack a year ago, getting at least 10 kills from 11 of 17 players who played 10 or more sets. Sarah Elliott led the way for GAC in 2020, recording 78 kills, followed by Courtney Peterson (63) and Kate Holtan (56). … GAC had a player record 20 or more kills in a match twice a year ago — Holtan delivered 22 kills against Saint Mary’s on April 17, while Elliott tallied 20 kills v. Saint Benedict on April 28. … Peterson recorded a team-best .237 attack percentage, followed by Holtan at .225.
• SETTING THE STAGE: Kasie Tweet and Nora Lehmkuhl accounted for 281 of the team’s 339 assists last season — Tweet led the charge with 184 helpers, with Lehmkuhl chipping in 97 assists. … Lehmkuhl posted a season-high 40-assist performance against Concordia on April 11, while Tweet’s season-best effort was a 28-assist showing against Saint Olaf on May 3.
• DIGGING IN: Hailey Embacher closed out the year as the team-leader in digs with 160. She was one of eight Gusties to record 20 or more digs last season. Embacher posted two matches with 30 or more digs — tallying 31 digs against Hamline on April 20 and a season-high 34 against Saint Benedict on April 28.
• THIS AND THAT: Gustavus served up 43 aces in seven matches last season, led by Embacher with 16. Gustavus received at least one ace from 13 different Gusties. … As a team, GAC closed out 2020 with 367 kills, 339 assists, and 523 digs. … Two of Gustavus’ four wins last season were decided in four sets. GAC also had one 3-0 sweep and one five-set victory. On the flip side, the Gusties were swept in two of their three losses, with the other coming in five sets.
