Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana dropped a five-set match to Millikin in the Vikings' Pumpkin Bash opener Friday at Carver Center. Although the loss eliminated Coach Kelly Bethke's squad from CCIW Tournament contention, it bounced back to defeat Simpson in straight sets later in the evening. The Vikings are now 23-8 overall and finished 4-4 in the CCIW. They'll be back in action at the Pumpkin Bash on Saturday, October 29, wrapping up the season with matches against Central at noon and Rockford at 4:00 p.m.
 
MILLIKIN 3, AUGUSTANA 2 (25-15; 21-25; 20-25; 25-19; 15-7)
 
Senior Jacqueline Kibir-Evans (Trinity HS, Forest Park, Ill.) had 14 kills and a .419 attack percentage, but it wasn't enough to lift Augustana to a much-needed victory over the Big Blue.
 
Millikin led from the get-go in a 25-15 first-set win, but the Vikings bounced back to take games two and three 25-21 and 25-20, respectively. The visitors took set four 25-19 to force a deciding fifth, where they led start to finish in a 15-7 win.
 
In addition to Kibir-Evans, senior Nicole Morrissey (Lake Zurich HS, Lake Zurich, Ill.) had nine kills and sophomore Taryn VanEarwage (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) and freshman Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) six each. Senior Nicole Lindaman (North Scott HS, Eldridge, Iowa) contributed 25 assists.
 
VanEarwage led the way defensively with 20 digs. Junior libero Claire Martin (Mother McAuley HS, Orland Park, Ill.) added 17, sophomores McKenzie Zambrano (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) and Sierra Rood (Lena-Winslow HS, Lena, Ill.) 15 each and Lindaman a dozen. Kibir-Evans had two solo blocks and four assists.
 
Erin Syversen led the Big Blue—who improved to 23-9 overall and 6-1 in the CCIW—with 20 kills on a whopping 70 attack attempts. Emily Mihalkanin had 45 assists and Cassidy Kingery 38 digs.
 
AUGUSTANA 3, SIMPSON 0 (25-13; 25-19; 25-20)
 
Augustana came back to win its second match of the day in straight sets over Simpson.
 
After winning the first two games 25-13 and 25-19, Bethke went deep into her bench in the third as the Vikings won 25-20. Match point came on a kill by senior Rachel Butter (Moline HS, Moline, Ill.).
 
Butter led the hosts' attack with nine kills and just one error in 17 attempts, a percentage of .471. Kibir-Evans added seven kills and junior Emily Westermeyer (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.) six. Lindaman dished out 17 assists with Zambrano contributing 13. Butter had 18 digs and Bialobok three blocks to pace Augustana defensively.