SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A double-double from junior Courtney Place helped the Augustana volleyball team roll Bemidji State, 3-0, as the Vikings picked up their first conference home victory of the season Friday night. The sweep (22-25, 25-11, 25-16) was Augustana's sixth of the season.

"I'm really proud of how the girls performed tonight in front of our home crowd," head coach Jennifer Jacobs said. "We started off a little slow, but our energy picked up as that first set went on and we started playing better."

Place recorded the Vikings lone double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs. Redshirt freshman Payton Rosendahl tallied five of her eight kills in Augustana's third set. The Creston, Neb. native hit a match-best .615 on the night, using just 13 attempts to knock down her eight kills.
Senior Ashley Wilson accounted for nine kills on 16 attempts to hit .500 to go along with her five aces.

Senior Tahlyr Banks, who was honored before tonight's game as the new Vikings record-holder in career digs, added a match-best 15 digs.

Tied at 21 in the first set, back-to-back aces by Wilson gave Augustana the lead for good. A kill by senior Lauren Waite and an ace by senior Alex Banker secured the 25-22 victory.

Three straight aces by Wilson and a kill by senior middle blocker Bailey Koch helped the Vikings gain a 13-4 lead in set two, forcing a Beaver timeout. Up 22-10, two kills from Rosendahl help march Augustana to a set two victory.

With the Vikings leading 21-9 in the third set, a kill by redshirt freshman Mearah Miedema and Place kept Augustana on track, blowing out Bemidji State 25-16.

The Vikings, who improve to 11-5 overall and 2-4 in conference play, return to action Saturday at 5 p.m. as Augustana takes on Minnesota Crookston from the Elmen Center.