DECATUR, Ill. – Millikin scored the first three points of game five Thursday and held Augustana off the rest of the way, winning 15-13 to capture the teams' CCIW Tournament first-round match at the Griswold

Center. The Vikings, seeded fifth, finished their season with a 16-14 record, while the fourth-seeded Big Blue advance to the semifinals with a record of 16-18.
 
The hosts jumped in front 5-1 in the deciding set behind kills by Marissa McElroy, Rose Syverson and Lauren Brummel, as well as a Maddie Sielski service ace. A Millikin service error sparked a 3-0 Augustana run that pulled Coach Kelly Bethke's crew to within 6-5. Sierra Erke (Quincy HS, Quincy, Ill.) had a solo block and Taryn VanEarwage (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) and Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) combined for another.
 
The Big Blue scored the next two points to lead 8-5 at the turn and the second of consecutive Marie Gerbasi kills extended their lead to 9-5. Kills by Emily Uglem (Moorhead HS, Moorhead, Minn.) and VanEarwage helped trim the deficit to 11-9, but Millikin answered again, with the next two points. The Vikings eventually got as close as 14-13, but Syverson set McElroy for a kill to finished off the match.
 
Augustana claimed nine of the last 11 points to win game one 25-19. Bialobok had a pair of kills in a 7-0 run that gave the Vikings an early 10-5 lead. The Big Blue rallied to go ahead 17-16, but VanEarwage and Uglem delivered consecutive kills to ignite Augustana's finishing push. Set point came on a Millikin attack error.
 
The hosts claimed games two and three by scores of 25-18 and 25-19, respectively. They had two runs of four straight points and another of five to take a 15-9 lead in set two and the Vikings would get no closer than five points the rest of the way. A Syverson kill gave the Big Blue set point. After falling behind 17-11 in game three, Augustana rallied behind a pair of VanEarwage kills to pull within a point. However, Millikin captured the last five, with set point coming on a Viking attack error.
 
Unlike the first three games, number four was tight the entire way. There were 10 ties and neither team managed a lead of more than three points. Trailing 22-19, the Vikings got a Erke kill off an assist from McKenzie Zambrano (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) to spark a 6-1 closing run. They pulled even at 22-all on a Bialobok kill and another gave Augustana set point in a 25-23 win.
 
VanEarwage shared team highs of 12 kills and 22 digs in her final collegiate match. Bialobok matched her kill total and junior Madi Glatz (Morton HS, Morton, Ill.) also had 22 digs. Uglem, another senior, added eight kills. Zambrano, also playing her final match, led the Vikings with 20 assists and freshman Olivia Doak (Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.) added 17. Bialobok's four blocks were a match high.
 
McElroy had a match-best 16 kills to lead four Big Blue in double digits. Syverson dished out 48 assists and Alyssa Vignos recorded 27 digs, both match highs as well.