GOLDEN, Colo. - The Augustana Vikings closed their Oredigger Classic run on Saturday, falling 3-2 to Pitt State and 3-0 to Colorado Mesa.
Pitt State
Augustana clawed through five sets against the Gorillas, ultimately falling 25-15, 22-25, 27-25, 16-25, 15-12 to open play on Saturday morning.
In set one, the Gorillas came out firing, scoring six of the first eight points before the Vikings chipped back and evened the score at 10-10. Nine of the next 10 points would go to PSU, separating the score and putting the set out of reach.
After the first six points were split between the two squads, Augie started to roll, using an 11-2 run to lift them to a 14-5 lead, as Kia Kriener, Maya Wente, and Lucy Bartee each delivered to the cause.
The Gorillas battled right back, chipping away to trail 21-16 before a 4-0 run to get within a point at 21-20.
The comeback ended there, as a Kriener kill and a pair of Ellie Walker aces put the Vikings ahead 24-20, and Reagan Jansen capped the set with a kill to even the match at 1-1.
After trailing 5-3 in set three, Augie surged, scoring six straight points, caped by a block and two Kriener kills, to take a 9-5 lead.
The teams went on to see-saw from there, with the Vikings leading by three as late as 22-19. From there, PSU took control, scoring eight of the final 11 points to take a 2-1 lead.
The Vikings showed resilience in set four, taking the lead from 7-6 on, leading by as many as 10 at 23-13 before closing the set and sending the match into a deciding set. Jansen, Kriener, Wente, and Piper Asche combined for all 12 kills to deliver the power.
Augie fought through the fifth, evening the match at 6-6, closing out a 4-0 PSU run with a 3-0 run of their own to get within one at 10-9, and keeping in within one at 13-11. The Gorillas closed it out from there, scoring three of the final four points to take the match.
The Vikings had four in double figure kills, with Kriener (19), Asche (13), Jansen (13), and Wente (10) leading the attack. Bartee served as the catalyst, delivering 56 assists, and Wente (six blocks), Erika Bute (21 digs), and Kiylah Franke (13 digs) powering the defense.
No. 21 Colorado Mesa
Augustana closed out the Oredigger Invitational against No. 21 Colorado Mesa, falling 25-23, 25-22, 25-16.
The scrappiness that the Vikings displayed in the morning carried into the first set against the Mavericks, splitting the first 16 points before inching ahead to a 16-13 lead. The next seven points would go to CMU, giving them a 20-16 lead, but Augie marched all the way back, tying the score at 23-23. The comeback fell short, with the Mavericks scoring the final two points to take a 1-0 lead.
After a 6-1 run for CMU opened set two, the Vikings returned the favor with a 5-0 run to even the set at 6-6. After the Mavericks grabbed a 10-8 lead, Augie countered with four consecutive points to claim the lead at 12-10. That lead would turn into 14-12, but CMU strung together five straight points to take a lead that would hold until a 3-0 Viking run put Augie up 20-19. The set came to a 22-22 tie late, but the Mavericks scored the final three points to take a 2-0 lead.
CMU led the entire third set, scoring eight of the first nine points to take command, and would lead by at least seven points the rest of the way to secure the sweep.
Kriener led the offense with 12 kills, Bartee collected 31 assists, Callie Hohenhaus, Asche, and Wente picked up four blocks apiece, and Bute had 13 digs to pitch in defensively.
The Vikings return to the floor Thursday at 5 p.m. for the Denton Volleyfest in Denton, Texas.
