SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Augustana volleyball bounced back from a dropped third set to win its first of four home matches over a 10-day span, taking down Minot State 25-20, 25-18, 16-25, 25-22 on Friday night inside the Elmen Center.
Reagan Jansen led the attack for the Vikings with her 16 kills alongside 10 digs and two service aces.
Abby Gruber put down 13 kills on a .458 hitting percentage to pair with three aces as
Kiylah Franke finished with 40 assists, eight digs and two aces. Finally,
Maya Wente recorded eight kills on .316 hitting and added four total blocks.
As a team, AU finished with 61 kills off a .317 hitting percentage, compared with 43 kills and a .205 mark for Minot State. The Vikings also held the advantage in total blocks (6-3) and assists (54-40) as the Beavers led in digs (52-49) and aces (10-8)
It all began as the Vikings moved ahead 3-1 in the opening set on two Gruber kills and a Jansen service ace before later using Wente's blocking to build an 8-6 edge. Minot State soon pulled even at 8-8 and the teams traded points through the middle of the set. Gruber, Wente and
Lucy Belisle recorded kills for Augustana before the visitors moved in front 18-17 on an AU attack error.
Jansen tied it in response with a kill from
Julia Blom, and the Vikings won seven of the next eight points—including Gruber kill, back-to-back Franke aces and a
Kelby Opland kill—to reach 24-19. After a service error made it 24-20, Jansen finished the set with a kill from Franke for a 25-20 win.
AU trailed 12-9 in the second set before an Opland kill started a five-point swing that included two Gruber aces and a block by Belisle and Wente for a 14-12 lead. Minot State pulled even at 14-14 and again at 15-15, but Augustana won seven of the next eight rallies behind two Jansen kills, Gruber kill and a Blom-assisted Jansen finish to move ahead 22-16. A kill for the Beavers ended that stretch, but Jansen had AU's final three points on kills, including the set-ending swing for a 25-18 win.
After Gruber answered the visitors' opening kill to make it 1-1, Minot State moved ahead 4-1, and the Vikings were still chasing after a kill made it 7-3. Belisle's kill, a Beaver attack error and Gruber kill from Jansen helped AU pull within 8-7, but consecutive aces pushed the margin back to 12-7. Augustana got kills from Jansen and Opland to make it 14-11 before Minot State scored five straight points for a 19-11 lead. The Beavers later stretched the set to 23-12, and although
Sylvia Taylor, Wente and Jansen added late kills for AU, the set closed at 25-16.
But not to be deterred, the Vikings started the fourth set with seven straight points, getting the opening kill from Jansen before she served an ace and Belisle added three kills for a 7-0 lead. Minot State worked back into the set with service pressure, using two aces to get within 15-13 and another two aces to tie it at 16-16. The teams traded points late, with Jansen tying the set at 18-18 and putting Augustana ahead 21-20 before Minot State answered with consecutive kills to move in front 22-21. Belisle tied it and followed with another kill for a 23-22 lead, Opland put AU at set point, and Gruber served an ace to clinch the Viking victory at 25-22.
UP NEXT
The homestand for Augustana volleyball continues as the Vikings host UMary on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 11 a.m. inside the Elmen Center.
--GoAugie.com--
