SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - No. 21 Augustana (16-6, 9-5 NSIC) capped of the long week with a sweep of the University of Mary, 25-16, 25-20 and 25-18, on Saturday in the Elmen Center. In an extended week that saw the Vikings host three matches, Augustana went 2-1 at home.

Augustana offensively hit .327 as a team, their highest hitting percentage in the past four matches. They used that hitting percentage to grab the lead early in set one, and then hold it throughout, grabbing the first three points, eventually earning the set victory. Set-one saw the largest margin of victory, nine points, but the Vikings responded to each  attack that the University of Mary (9-14, 4-10 NSIC) threw at them.

Set-two saw three ties and two lead changes in it, all inside the first seven points. the Vikings gained the lead at 4-3 and never looked back with the help of 6-0 run to extend the lead to 9-3. Augustana would go on to win the set 25-20. In set-three Augustana fell behind 2-0 before quickly tying it up at 2. After Mary took the lead back at 4-3, Augustana used a 4-0 run to lead 7-4. Never looking back, they would go on to win 25-18.

Augustana was led by Brittany Cech offensively. Cech had 11 kills in the match, and was the lone Viking to reach double-digit kills. Following Cech was Dani Magdzas, who had nine kills and Ivy Pearson who had eight.

Defensively it was Tahlyr Banks who made some impressive digs to keep rallies going for Augustana. Banks led the way for the Vikings with 14 digs while Pearson and Cech had eight and six respectively.

For the second straight match Augustana has found a grove with two setters. Alex Banker led the way this time with 21 assists while Anna Sykora had 19.

The Vikings had three total blocks in the contest with Ashley Wilson and Sydney Hunsley each grabbing two assisted blocks. Also getting in the blocking game was Kelsey Kaufmann and Magdzas who each had an assisted block as well.

Augustana had six aces today. Banks would come away with two of the six. Augustana had four other each with one: Banker, Pearson, Sykora and freshman Kaylea Ahrens.

Augustana will be back on the road next weekend as the travel to Moorhead, Minn. to take on MSU Moorhead. They will then head to Aberdeen, S.D. to take on the first place Wolves of Northern State. The match with MSU Moorhead is set to begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, with the match versus Northern to start at 5 p.m. on Friday.