SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana Vikings closed their weekend on a high note, defeating Bemidji State 25-17, 25-17, 22-25, 25-17 on Saturday night inside the Elmen Center. 

The Vikings, now 7-9 overall and 4-4 in NSIC play, hit .302 on the night and held Bemidji State, 6-10, 3-5, to a .227 hitting percentage in the victory. 

The highlight of the night was Erika Bute, who collected a team-high 16 digs, including her 2,000th career dig. She became the third player in program history to reach the milestone, and now ranks in a tie for second with 2,004. 

Kia Kriener was one of three players with double digit kills on the night, tallying 13 while adding two blocks. Callie Hohenhaus totaled 12 kills and five blocks, and Reagan Jansen added 11 kills and 12 digs. Lucy Bartee had 41 assists and three aces from the setter position, and Kiylah Franke had 12 digs to support the back line. 

After a 4-0 run gave the Beavers an 8-6 lead in set one, the Vikings took over. A 12-1 run, highlighted by two blocks and two kills from Piper Asche, gave them a commanding 18-9 lead. BSU scored the next three points before the teams traded runs, but a block from Hohenhaus and Kriener capped the set and handed AU a 1-0 lead. 

The Vikings accelerated to a 6-0 lead in set two, including the second kill of the year and eighth in the career of Bute. BSU cut the deficit in half with their own run, but a 6-2 AU run grew its lead to 12-5. The Beavers got within three as late as 16-13, but a Jansen kill, Wente kill, and two Kriener kills grew the Viking lead back to seven at 20-13. The two teams traded points from there before an ace from Bute finished off the second set. 

BSU would trail just once in set three when a Jansen kill put the Vikings ahead 15-14. From there, the Beavers scored seven of the next eight points to take a 21-16. The five point lead reached 23-18, but the Vikings attempted to mount a comeback. A 4-0 run brought them within one at 23-22, but the Beavers scored the final two points to send the match to a fourth set. 

The Vikings were ready to close the match in four sets, scoring seven of the first eight points and leading by as many as 10 points at 16-6. BSU chipped away, getting within four at 20-16, but a 5-1 run from AU closed the match. 

The Vikings close their homestand on Thursday, hosting No. 1-ranked Wayne State at 6 p.m., inside the Elmen Center.