SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Despite a hard-fought match, the University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Team (14-9, 9-6 NSIC) dropped a four-set match, 3-1 (16-25, 23-25, 25-21, 21-25), to city rival Augustana (14-9, 9-6 NSIC) on Saturday in the Elmen Center. 
 
The Cougars were led by senior outside hitter Averey Yaksich with 16 kills while Jordan Kuper had 11 with Brooklynne Albrecht and Jordyn Hamm each providing seven kills.Yaksich, who also had a pair of service aces, now has 361 kills on the season (33 this weekend) and ranks sixth all-time at USF. She is just four kills from the top five (Kate Hart, 365, 2014). 

Krista Goerger supplied 39 assists, and now has 867 on the season (10.45/set) which is seventh all-time at USF but just 19 from sixth place (Kayla Crane 875, 2014) at USF. In addition, senior TiaRose Nagami provided 13 digs to aid USF's defense. Kuper hit a team-high .318 percent on her 11 kills on the night as she now has 11 double-digit kills matches this season. Hamm tied a season-high with seven blocks. 

As a team, USF out-blocked Augustana, 13-9, but was edged in kills, 58-45 and in digs, 50-47. USF hit .190 with 45 kills on 126 attacks and 21 errors. The Vikings hit .229 with 58 kills on 140 attacks and 26 errors.

Set Breakdown
 
The first set saw a slow start from the Cougars, hitting just .094 with 10 kills on 32 attempts. Service errors and attack errors ended up adding up, and USF took a 25-16 loss.
 
The Cougars rallied back in the second set, hitting .250 percent with nine kills on 32 attempts and had four blocks but took a 25-23 setback.  
 
Set three saw an energy change from the Cougars, who hit .333 percent with 14 kills on 30 attempts. The energy boost gave USF the momentum it needed, and they took a 25-21 decision to extend the match. 
 
Despite the energy boost in the third set, the Cougars hit just .094 in the fourth and final set, with 12 kills on 32 attempts and nine attack errors. Two service aces and three blocks weren't quite enough, and the Cougars took a 25-21 loss to seal the 3-1 loss. 

The Cougars take the court again on Tuesday, November 2 to host the #11 Wayne State Wildcats in the Stewart Center at 6 pm. From there, they head to St. Cloud, Minn. to face #14 St. Cloud State at 6 pm on Friday, Nov. 5. On Saturday, Nov. 6 the Cougars head to Duluth, Minn. to take on Minnesota Duluth at 4 pm.