BOX SCORE HILO, HAWAII – The Vikings were outplayed by an talented British Columbia squad and dropped their second match of the season to fall to 1-2. Augustana was held to a season low .020 hitting percentage on their way to the 25-20, 25-18, 25-16 defeat.
After an exhausting match only a couple hours earlier, the Vikings came out flat against the two-time defending Canadian national champion team. British Columbia built a 16-8 lead in the first set assisted by 11 errors by Augustana. The Vikings cut the lead to three at 17-20, but it wasn't enough as the Thunderbirds finished the set 25-20 aided by the 13 errors and -.029 attack percentage by Augustana.
The second set started off back and forth with neither team faltering until the Thunderbirds broke a 7-7 tie with four straight points, including two service aces. Those four points were the start of a 9-3 run for British Columbia, but Augustana narrowed the gap to 17-19 led by a couple
Taylor Hrdlichka kills. Three errors by the Vikings sparked the six points that the Thunderbirds needed to close out set two 25-18.
In the third set, Augustana registered the first point, but surrendered six of the next seven on an assortment of errors and Thunderbird kills. The Augustana deficit reached its largest point at 22-13 when every attack the Thunderbirds made seemed to find the floor. A couple of kills from Hrdlichka and
Lindsey Petersen broke the British Columbia run, but it wasn't enough as the Thunderbirds closed out the match with a third set 25-16 win.
Taylor Hrdlichka led the offense with six kills and no errors for a .600 attack percentage, her highest for the season.
Marissa Johnson dished out 17 assists to eight different Vikings and
Grace Sanders reached double digit digs for the second time this season with 11.
The Vikings offense was assisted by 13 service errors by British Comlumbia, but only swung at a .020 clip.
Augustana wraps up the Vulcan Classic with a midnight matchup against Hawaii-Hilo tomorrow, Sept. 1.
