SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --  The Augustana Viking volleyball team fought hard against No. 7 Concordia - St. Paul but ultimately fell 3-1 on Friday night inside the Elmen Center. 

After a slow start to the first set trailing 8-4 and 15-11, the Vikings went on an 11-0 run to make the score 22-15 in favor of Augustana. The Golden Bears fought back to make the score 22-19 but the Vikings used kills from Payton Rosendahl and Izzy Sommers to put away the first set 25-19. 

With the momentum on its side going into the second set, Augustana traded points back-and-forth in the opening moments with neither team being able to pull away. That is until CSP used back-to-back scoring runs to go up 19-10. The Vikings would score the next three points to make it 19-13 but it was all Golden Bears after that as they took the second set 25-15.

CSP used its momentum from its second set win to open up a 7-1 lead in the third set forcing a timeout from the Vikings. Augustana answered back after the timeout with a 5-0 run to bring the lead within one at 7- 6. After trading point for point, the Golden Bears used a crucial 3-0 run to take the 23-21 lead and eventually the 25-22 set three win. 

In the fourth and final set, the Vikings kept it close early on but weren't able to capitalize on some opportunities and CSP used a series of runs late in the set to pull away to claim the fourth set and the match, 3-1. 

Sommers led the way for the Vikings with nine kills and recorded four blocks. Rosendahl finished right behind Sommers with seven kills. Avery Thorson finished with a double-double 28 assists and 10 digs. 

As a team, the Vikings finished with 36 kills, 31 assists and 58 digs. 

Quotable
"We came out tough in the beginning and then let CSP take control of the match," head coach Jennifer Jacobs said. "I believe in this team and I know we have the talent to beat ranked teams, we just need to control our side of the ball a little better." 

Up Next
The Vikings will finish up the weekend against Minnesota State on Saturday at 2 p.m. inside the Elmen Center.