Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Coming off a big win earlier in the day against seventh-ranked Benedictine, there was no letdown for Coach Mark Lau's Augustana volleyball team Saturday. The Vikings made quick work of Greenville, defeating the Panthers in straight sets at Carver Center to improve to 3-5 on the year. Greenville, who fell in four sets to Benedictine earlier in the afternoon, is now 3-3 on the season.
 
Freshman Jason Szara (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) got things rolling with consecutive kills to start a 5-0 Viking run to begin the match. Greenville never got closer than three points the rest of the way and the advantage reached double digits (16-6) on a kill by freshman Joshua Richardson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Hazel Crest, Ill.). Set point in a 25-16 Augustana win came on a kill by freshman Justin Murphy (Glenbard East HS, Lombard, Ill.).
 
A Marc Gonzalez service ace accounted for theonly tie (3-3) in game two. Otherwise, the Vikings led wire-to-wire. They won the next four points and rolled to a 25-19 win. Set point came on a Panther service error.
 
The visitors grabbed their only lead of the match early in game three. Greenville led 3-1 before an attack error and kills by freshman Andrew Housholder (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.) and senior Tyler Rubarts (Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS, Paxton, Ill.) put Augustana up 4-3. A block by Panthers Isaiah Canales and Peter Binder forged one final tie, but a Szara kill began a 3-0 Viking run and the hosts would lead the rest of the way. Match point came on a Murphy kill.
 
Murphy finished with nine kills to lead Augustana. Szara, Housholder and freshman Joshua Richardson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Hazel Crest, Ill.) were right behind with seven apiece. Freshman Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) dished out 33 assists and classmate Matthew Schiferl (Wheeling HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) chipped in with 11 digs.
 
Next up for Lau's crew is a pair of matches in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Saturday, February 10. The Vikings take on North Central at 2:00 p.m. and fifth-ranked Carthage at 4:00 p.m.