Box Score
The Augustana volleyball team started its weeked off with a three-set win over Dowling College Friday at the Radisson-Roseville Tournament in St. Paul, Minn. The Vikings handed the Golden Lions their first loss of the season by outscoring them 25-16, 25-20, and 25-21.
The win improves the Vikings to 5-5 on the season and drops the Golden Lions to 5-1.
The first set remained close until senior outside Jenna Hultgren served four points in a row to give the Vikings a 10-6 lead. A few Viking errors allowed the Golden Lions to tie the game at 10-10, but a Dowling service error followed by back-to-back kills from the Vikings allowed Augie to pull away again. Hultgren finished the game with another serving run and Augie came out on top 25-16.
The Vikings led for the most of the second set, but the Golden Lions remained close on their heels. A block by Dowling's Bethany Shepard and Monika Kasperek tied the score at 18-18, but a kill from Hultgren gave the Vikings the serve allowing freshman setter Dani Haley to rattle off five points in a row and put Augie up 23-18. Dowling was unable to come back as senior right side Ellen Andrews ended the set with a kill at 25-20.
The Vikings took control of set number three early when junior outside Beth Talcott served five points in a row to make the score 7-4. The Golden Lions would never regain the lead thanks to outstanding hitting by the Vikings, who recorded 14 kills and only 1 error in the set, winning 25-21.
Andrews and Hultgren each recorded a match-high 11 kills. Junior middle Brianna Erickson added 7 kills and 6 blocks while Haley dished out a career-high 34 assists.
Augie will continue the tournament Saturday, playing No. 12 ranked Southwest Minnesota State at 10 a.m. before taking on tournament host No. 1 ranked Concordia St. Paul at 4 p.m.
