Box Score
The Augustana volleyball team dropped a four-set match to the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State Friday night at the Elmen Center. The Vikings won the first set 25-20 before losing the next three 25-19, 25-23, and 25-17.
The Vikings, who were playing without several ill players, fall to 11-13 overall and 6-6 in the NSIC. The Mustangs improve to 19-6 on the season and are 9-4 in conference play.
The first set remained tight the entire way, with the teams tying 10 different times throughout the match. The Mustangs tied the score at 19-19 thanks to a kill by Brooke Burmeister. A kill by senior right side
Ellen Andrews gave the Vikings the 20-19 advantage, and back-to-back attack errors by the Mustangs forced SMSU to call a timeout at 22-19. Following the timeout, SMSU's Brigetta Berg committed another attack error, but an error by Andrews gave the Mustangs the serve at 23-20. The serve by the Mustangs never cleared the net allowing sophomore defensive specialist
Melanie Twait to serve for game point. Another attack error by the Mustangs gave Augie the 25-20 win.
Set two was tight as well, and a kill by SMSU's Cara Carson tied the score at 14-14. The Mustangs were able to build a lead thanks to a three-point scoring run by Carson followed by another run by Ashley King, giving them a 20-15 advantage. Augie pulled to within four at 23-19 with a kill by freshman outside
Megan Bezdicek, but back-to-back kills by the Mustangs put the set away, 25-19.
In set four the Mustang's were able to pull away early, leading 15-10 before the first media timeout. The Vikings battled back and a kill by freshman right side
Jordan Spatenka followed by a hitting error by SMSU pulled the Vikings to within one at 20-19. An attack error by Carson at 23-22 forced the Mustangs to call a timeout, and the Vikings were able to tie the score at 23-23 thanks to a kill from Bezdicek. SMSU's Devin Diedrich put the match away for the Mustangs, pounding two kills in a row for the 25-23 win.
Augie took a 7-3 lead in the fourth set with a kill from freshman outside
Chantel Tengwall. SMSU called a timeout and worked its way back into the game, pulling to within two at 10-8 after a kill by Tory Brouwer. The Mustangs then served seven points in a row to take a 15-10 lead. The deficit proved too much for the Vikings as they fell 25-17.
Bezdicek led the Viking offense with 11 kills. Spatenka added eight and sophomore middle
Alex Burke contributed 7. Tengwall tied her career-high with 6 kills.
Defensively, five Vikings were in double-digit digs. Senior outside
Jenna Hultgren tallied 21 while freshman setter #Dani Haley added 15 digs to go along with her 36 assists. Twait contributed 14 digs.
The Vikings will be at home again tomorrow night as they take on No. 10 Minnesota State at 4 p.m.
