MANKATO, Minn. – Augustana volleyball came out hot in the first set against the Mavericks but was quickly turned away, eventually falling in four sets (15-25, 25-19, 25-12, 25-15) on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Vikings drop to 10-12 on the season with a 6-7 conference record while Minnesota State improves to 14-6 overall and 6-6 in NSIC play.
 
Maya Wente led with a .480 hitting percentage for 14 kills as Reagan Jansen added an 11-kill, 10-dig double-double. Lucy Bartee dished out 41 assists in the contest to go along with her 10 digs.
 
On the defensive, Gabby Jones collected 25 digs in addition to her two service aces and Avery Nelson added in 11 as Brooke Berens and Wente tallied three total blocks apiece.
 
Augustana amassed 48 kills, 44 assists, five total blocks and five service aces while narrowly holding the advantage over the home team with 68 digs.
 
In the first set, Augustana quickly took control with an 8-5 lead off an ace from Jones. And the Vikings would push on the gas throughout the entire set. That advantage ballooned to five off a kill from Berens but it grew even further after four straight points from the Vikings made it a 17-9 game. Another three points extended it to 20-11 and, despite an effort from the home team to claw back, the set would go to AU 25-15.
 
The momentum changed at the start of the second set as the Mavericks' attack got hot and opened up the set at 6-3. A kill from Lucy Belisle closed the gap at 8-7 but was followed by an exchange of four-point runs between the two teams. Minnesota State tacked on a 6-2 run to gain a lead of five at 18-13 but the Vikings fought back, closing in at 22-19 in an attempt to stave off the Mavericks. The home team would take the final three points of the set to end it, 25-19.
 
Minnesota State exploded out to a 7-2 advantage off an error from Augustana which eventually grew to a 16-7 lead following a 5-1 run from the home team. Jansen and Berens slammed down a combined three kills but the Mavericks hit back with another 7-1 run, eventually taking the set 25-12.
 
Set four again began with firepower from the Mavericks, who took a quick 11-3 to open up action off a service ace. The Vikings responded with a 5-2 and back-and-forth action made it a 16-11 game until four straight points from Minnesota State pushed it back to an eight-point differential. The home team would score the final three points to close it, 25-15.
 
Looking Ahead
Augustana will return home to host Wayne State in non-conference action on Tuesday, Oct. 29 before hitting the road again for Concordia-St. Paul on Thursday, Oct. 31.