SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana Vikings battled No. 6-ranked Southwest Minnesota State on Tuesday night, inside the Elmen Center, ultimately falling 25-20, 17-25, 25-12, 25-21 in a nonconference match. 

The loss moves the Vikings to 8-13 overall, while SMSU jumps to 19-3 on the year. 

The Vikings struck early in set one, scoring four of the first five points, punctuated by a Callie Hohenhaus kill. After alternating points, the Mustangs went on a 3-0 run to get within one at 8-7. With AU leading 13-11, SMSU started firing, unleashing an 8-1 run to give themselves a 19-4 lead. The Vikings inched within a point at 20-19, but a 5-1 Mustang run allowed them to take a 1-0 advantage into set two. 

Kia Kriener opened the second set with a kill, but it would be SMSU who jumped to a lead through the first 16 points at 9-7. AU marched in front from there, as two kills each from Maya Wente and Reagan Jansen fueled an 8-2 run to go up 15-11. 

The Vikings added a 4-1 run following a pair of Mustang points, capped by a Piper Asche block, to increase the lead to five at 19-14. SMSU attempted a comeback, stacking a pair of points, but a 6-1 AU run closed the set and evened the match at 1-1 into the break. 

After a Hohenhaus kill put the Vikings ahead 4-2, the Mustangs took over. An 11-1 run put SMSU ahead 13-5, and they would hold a lead the rest of the way to take a 2-1 lead. 

AU raced to a 10-4 lead in the early stages of set four, with seven kills and a pair of blocks leading the way. A Lucy Bartee kill later brought the Vikings to a 17-12 lead, but a 10-1 SMSU run erased the AU lead and put the Mustangs in front 22-18. The two teams alternated points the rest of the way, giving SMSU the four set victory. 

Hohenhaus collected 14 kills and three blocks to lead the Vikings, while Kriener tallied 13 kills and 12 digs. Asche led the defense with four blocks while adding nine kills, and Wente had nine kills and three blocks. 

Five Vikings registered double digit digs, led by 30 from Erika Bute. Lucy Bartee loaded the stat sheet with 45 assists, 16 digs, two kills, two blocks, and two aces. Kriener was one of three players to record 12 digs, joined by Jansen and Kiylah Franke. 

The Vikings return to the Sanford Pentagon for the first time in 2023 on Friday, hosting MSU Moorhead at 7 p.m.