Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana bounced back from a first set loss to Carroll Tuesday at Carver Center, coming back to win three straight and improve to 9-7 overall on the year and 1-1 in the CCIW. The visiting Pioneers dropped to 7-10 overall and 0-2 in the league.
 
Carroll took the opening set 25-19, winning three straight points to go up 5-2 and never trailing after that. The Vikings got as close as 18-17 before the Pioneers won seven of the last nine points, including the final three via Augustana errors.
 
Leading 6-5 in set two, the Vikings went on a 7-0 run, getting six of those points with junior Sierra Rood (Lena-Winslow HS, Lena, Ill.) on the serve. The final two points in the spree came on Rood service aces. Carroll would get no closer than five points the rest of the way. Set point in a 25-14  Augustana win came on an ace by senior Maissie Musick (Camp Point Central HS, Camp Point, Ill.). Senior Emily Westermeyer (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.) had seven kills in the game.
 
Set three proved to be the pivotal one. After Augustana took a 17-11 lead, Pioneer Coach Becca Saal called timeout. Her team responded by winning nine of the next 12 points to tie it at 20-all. A block by sophomore Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) and junior Danielle Janacek (Lincoln-Way East HS, Mokena, Ill.) eventually gave the Vikings a 24-21 lead, but the Carroll fought off six match points before a Taryn VanEarwage (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) kill and a McKenzie Zambrano (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) ace finally finished off a 29-27 Augustana win.
 
The fourth game was tight throughout. After Coach Kelly Bethke called timeout at 20-all, VanEarwage had a kill and Westermeyer three straight to create some breathing room. A Musick kill got the Vikings to match point, but the Pioneers fought off two before another Westermeyer kill gave the hosts a 25-23 win and the match. Nine of the last 12 Augustana points came on kills by either VanEarwage (four) or Westermeyer (five).
 
Wetsermeyer finished with 18 kills and VanEarwage added 10. Zambrano had 23 assists and four Vikings had two aces apiece. Defensively, Van Earwage led five Augustana players in double figures with 20 digs. Senior Claire Martin (Mother McAuley HS, Orland Patk, Ill.) was next with 19. Musick and Bialobok were in on three blocks each.
 
Bethke's club, which has now won five of its last six matches, visits Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, September 29. The Vikings will take on Carthage at 5:30 p.m. and host Coe at 7:30 p.m.