SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana volleyball defeated Sioux Falls in an adrenaline-packed five sets earlier this season, but on Tuesday night, it was the opposite story as the Vikings fell in a thrilling five-set showdown inside the Elmen Center.
The loss snaps Augustana's six-game winning streak and pushes the Vikings to a 15-9 overall record with a 9-7 conference showing as the Cougars improve to 9-15 and 5-11.
Reagan Jansen recorded a double-double off 22 kills, 14 digs, one ace and a team-high 23.0 points as
Kiylah Franke joined her in double-double status by posting 59 assists, 15 digs and four service aces.
Abby Gruber added 12 kills while hitting .400 and totaled three blocks and
Lucy Belisle finished with 12 kills, six digs and three blocks.
As a team, the Vikings led in kills (69-64), aces (9-2) and assists (66-59) while trailing in blocks (9-5) and digs (83-68).
Augustana faced an early 6-1 deficit to start the first set, but
Maya Wente, Belisle and
Kelby Opland fueled the response. The Vikings pulled within 7-6 before later tying the set at 10-10 on a USF ball-handling error and again at 11-11 on a Franke kill. Sioux Falls moved back in front 17-12 and—although Belisle's kill and a Franke ace cut the margin to 17-14 and AU later closed within 21-19—the Cougars scored four of the final five points to take the set 25-20.
Second set action saw the Vikings build an early 4-0 lead, with Jansen putting down two early kills around two Sioux Falls attack errors. USF worked back within 4-3 and later tied the set at 13-13 but AU answered with kills from Jansen and Wente and another Jansen kill to move ahead 16-13. The Vikings pushed the margin to 20-16 on Gruber's kill and 21-17 on Belisle's kill before the Cougars took the next two points to get within 21-19. Jansen stopped the run with back-to-back kills, and Augustana finished the set on two Sioux Falls attack errors for a 25-19 win.
The third set stayed tight through the opening exchanges, with AU getting kills from Belisle, Jansen and
Sydney Tims before Sioux Falls moved ahead 11-10. Tims tied it,
Lucy Cogan served an ace and the Vikings took five of the next six points to move in front 15-12 and pushed it to 16-12 on a Sioux Falls ball-handling error. The visitors answered from an 18-14 deficit with five straight points to take a 19-18 lead, but Wente tied it and a block by Gruber and Belisle put Augustana back ahead 20-19. AU led 22-20 after Belisle's kill and a Franke ace, but Sioux Falls tied it at 22-22. The momentum swung as USF went ahead late and closed the set at 26-24.
After Sioux Falls moved ahead 3-2, Augustana pulled even on Gruber's block and went in front on a Cogan service ace. AU built off of that with kills by Tims and Jansen around a Sioux Falls error to take a 7-4 lead. The Cougars kept the set close and tied it at 16-16, but a Wente-Belisle block and a
Gabby Jones ace put AU back ahead 18-16. The Vikings stretched the margin further to 23-18 behind kills from Gruber and Jansen before USF scored four straight points to get within 23-22. A Sioux Falls service error gave Augustana set point, and Wente finished the set with a kill from Franke for a 25-22 win to force the winner-take-all fifth set.
Competition stayed tight until Sioux Falls moved from a 4-4 tie to a 7-5 lead. Belisle answered with three straight kills to put Augustana in front 8-7, an—despite another tie—a block by Gruber and Belisle and a Franke service ace pushed the AU lead to 10-8. USF clawed back from there and tied it at 11-11 before tying again at 12-all. Sioux Falls reached set point at 14-12 and Jansen's kill pulled Augustana within 14-13, but a block ended things at 15-13.
UP NEXT
The end-of-season home stretch continues for the Augustana Vikings volleyball team who will celebrate Parents Night on Friday and Senior Night on Saturday inside the Elmen Center.
--GoAugie.com--
