SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Volleyball team jumped out to a two-set advantage Tuesday night inside the Stewart Center, but Augustana rallied to take the final three frames as the Cougars fell 3-2 in a five-set NSIC rivalry battle.
Sioux Falls captured the opening two sets, 25-20 and 25-21, before the Vikings responded with wins of 25-19, 25-22 and 15-10. The loss moved USF to 4-11 overall and 0-7 in NSIC play, while Augustana improved to 9-6 and 3-4 in the conference.
The Basics
Final: Augustana 3, Sioux Falls 2
Set Scores: 25-20, 25-21, 19-25, 22-25, 10-15
Records: Sioux Falls 4-11 (0-7 NSIC) | Augustana 9-6 (3-4 NSIC)
Location: Stewart Center | Sioux Falls, S.D.
How It Happened
Sioux Falls overcame a slow start in the opening set after Augustana jumped ahead 8-3. The Cougars steadily worked their way back, eventually pulling even at 16-16 on a Maci Lerseth service ace. USF took its first lead at 18-17 on a block from Haley Wolfe and Abby Haus before putting together a 5-0 run to extend the advantage to 22-17. The Cougars finished the set on a Kyleigh Tangen kill to take the opener, 25-20.
The Cougars carried that momentum into the second set. With USF holding an 8-5 lead, Lerseth took over at the service line as Sioux Falls rattled off seven straight points to build a 15-5 advantage. Augustana answered with a run of its own and eventually tied the set at 21-21, but the Cougars responded. Ella Walker recorded a kill before three straight Augustana attack errors, including two Cougar blocks, gave USF the final four points and a 25-21 victory.
Augustana answered in the third despite a back-and-forth frame that featured 11 ties. The teams were even at 18-18 before the Vikings scored five straight to create the separation they needed, eventually taking the set 25-19.
The fourth was another tightly contested frame with 13 ties. USF held a 17-16 advantage following a Tangen kill before Augustana moved back in front. The Cougars battled back to even the set at 21-21 on an Aubrey Gates kill, but the Vikings scored four of the final five points to force a deciding fifth set with a 25-22 win.
Neither side could gain much separation early in the fifth as the teams battled through six ties. After Gates tied the frame at 6-6, Augustana put together a 4-0 run to take a 10-6 advantage. USF cut the deficit to 13-10 behind back-to-back kills from Haus, but the Vikings claimed the final two points to close out the match, 15-10.
Key Cougars
Aubrey Gates led the Cougar attack with 14 kills while hitting .250 and adding three blocks. Abby Haus followed with 11 kills, while Haley Wolfe and Kyleigh Tangen each recorded 10. Wolfe added five blocks, while Tangen finished with 10 digs and an ace.
Ella Walker contributed eight kills while hitting .263 and led the Cougars with six blocks. Hollie Peterson turned in a double-double with 46 assists and 12 digs while also recording five blocks and an ace.
Maci Lerseth anchored the back row with a match-high 21 digs while adding four assists and two service aces.
Key Numbers
- Sioux Falls finished with 58 kills, 57 assists, 63 digs and 12 total blocks while hitting .210 for the match.
- USF held a 12-9 advantage in total blocks.
- The Cougars were at their best offensively in the opening set, hitting .481 with 15 kills and just two errors.
- USF also hit .324 with 14 kills in the fourth set.
- Gates' 14 kills led five Cougars with at least eight kills.
- Peterson recorded 46 of USF's 57 assists and added 12 digs for a double-double.
- Lerseth finished with a match-high 21 digs.
- The match featured 39 ties and 11 lead changes across five sets.
Up Next
The Cougars will head north to take on UMary this Friday, October 2 at 6pm in Bismarck before heading to Minot State on Saturday for a noon matchup against the Beavers. USF will return home October 9-10 to host Northern State and Jamestown.
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