ST. PAUL, Minn. – Augustana volleyball put up one of its biggest fights of the season, battling it out with #9 Concordia-St. Paul on the road, but eventually fell in a marathon five sets (25-20, 22-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-7) on Thursday night.
 
The Vikings fall to 10-14 on the season with a 6-8 conference record while the Golden Bears improve to 17-4 overall and 12-1 in NSIC play.
 
Maya Wente led the attack for Augustana, tallying 14 kills off a .480 hitting percentage. Sydney Tims followed behind with nine kills as Reagan Jansen and Brooke Berens each added in eight and Lucy Belisle added seven.

Lucy Bartee dished out 40 assists on the night alongside 10 digs for her double-double and Alexis Nelson served out three service aces.
 
On the defensive end, Gabby Jones collected 14 digs as Jansen contributed 11 and Tims logged four total blocks, including one solo.
 
Augustana totaled 48 kills with 60 digs, 44 assists and six aces while holding the advantage over its opponent with 10 total blocks.
 
Set one began with close action until a 6-1 run from the home team made it a 10-6 game but an eventual three straight points from the Vikings—capped by a kill from Bartee—tightened up the game to make it a two-point differential. Augustana continued to keep itself in the competition, clawing back to tie it up at 16 apiece following a block from Tims and Berens. But it was the Golden Bears scoring the final five points that would end it, 25-20
 
The battle continued into the second set, as the two teams tied 16 times throughout play. Augustana took its first lead at 4-3 but would not hold the advantage again until a kill from Jansen made it 12-11. Back-and-forth action, highlighted by strong swinging from both teams, lasted until it was tied at 18. But it was three straight points from the Vikings that made the difference. After creating some distance and going up 21-18, AU held on, fighting off a strong charge from CSP, to win 25-22.
 
Concordia-St. Paul took an early 9-6 lead until six straight unanswered points from the Vikings gave Augustana control at 12-9. The home team eventually responded, hitting back with four straight points of its own to make it a one-point game, but the errors began to pile up in the back-and-forth battle. The Golden Bears blocked a shot from Belisle to take the lead late at 23-22, but the Vikings would immediately hit back. AU would go on to score the final three points off a kill, block and ace to take set three 25-23.
 
Despite falling behind 5-1 early on, Augustana hit back with five straight points to tie things up at eight-all. The two teams would go on to tie seven more times until Concordia-St. Paul scored two straight to take the lead at 18-16. The Vikings would not go away quietly, slowly chipping away at the differentials until they rattled off four unanswered points to tie it again at 23. But an ace and a kill would stop the rally at 25-23 to force a fifth and final set.
 
The Golden Bears held all of the momentum heading into the final set and would not once let up on the gas after establishing an early 5-0 lead. Tims, Belisle and Berens would rocket down kills, but the home team shut down any sort of comeback, winning 15-7.
 
Looking Ahead
Augustana will return home for a weekend inside the Elmen Center, hosting Minot State on Friday, Nov 8 for Parent Night and UMary on Saturday, Nov. 9 for Senior Night.