Box Score
The Augustana volleyball team defeated Winona State 3-1 on Saturday night to pull to within one game of .500 on the season. Augie won the first set 25-17 before dropping the second 25-14. The Vikings then won the next two 25-18 and 25-22.
With the win, the Vikings improve to 11-12 and are 6-5 in conference play. Winona State drops to 6-18 overall and 4-9 in the NSIC.
Augie had to call a timeout early in the first set after the Warriors rattled off a string of points that put the Vikings down 8-2. Augustana then scored five points in a row, and a kill by freshman right side
Jordan Spatenka pulled the Vikings to within one at 8-7. The Vikings would take over after that and win the first set 25-17.
The second set stayed close early on, with the score tied at 10-10 after a service error by the Vikings. The Warriors then outscored the Vikings nine points to one, earning a 19-11 advantage. Augie tried to surmount a comeback, but fell in the second set 25-14.
The Vikings were down in the third set 9-6 before two Warrior attack errors and two kills by freshman outside
Megan Bezdicek gave Augie a 10-9 lead. After a few more plays the Vikings put together another scoring run and took a 16-11 advantage thanks to a service ace by senior outside
Jenna Hultgren. Spatenka pounded three kills in the last five points to earn Augie the 25-18 win.
Set four was the closest of the match and a kill by Andrews tied the score at 8-8. The Vikings gradually pulled away and led by as many as six at 21-15 after a block by Spatenka and junior middle
Brianna Erickson. Winona State gradually chipped away at the deficit and an attack error by junior outside
Beth Talcott moved the score to 23-20. Augie scored one more point on a kill by Erickson and looked to have the match won, but the Warriors scored back to back points, forcing the Vikings to call a timeout at 24-22. Augie was finally able to put the game away on a kill by Talcott.
Augie had a balanced attack on the night with Andrews collecting 11 kills and Spatenka adding 10. Bezdicek, Erickson, Talcott and sophomore middle
Alex Burke each added eight kills. Freshmen setters
Dani Haley and
Breanna Brandt had 23 assists and freshman libero
Grace Sanders had 23 digs.
