Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – It took two hours and 13 minutes, but it was definitely worth the wait, as Coach Mark Lau's fledgling Augustana volleyball team came from down 0-2 to knock off seventh-ranked Benedictine in five sets Saturday at Carver Center. The Vikings improved to 2-5 on the year. The 4-3 Eagles' only previous losses had been to Lewis, ranked 11th in Division I and Carthage, ranked fifth in Division III.
 
Benedictine led the decisive fifth set 8-7 at the change and extended the advantage to 11-8 before a kill by freshman Joshua Richardson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Hazel Crest, Ill.) turned the tide. Freshman Jason Szara (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) followed with a kill, prompting an Eagle timeout.
 
Coming out of the break, Richardson and freshman Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) combined on a block and then each had a kill to put the hosts up 13-11. A Joe Lock kill and a Viking attack error tied it one final time, but a Benedictine service error allowed Szara to serve for match point. Richardson took advantage, parlaying Hirschel's 54th assist of the contest into a match-ending kill.
 
Benedictine took the first two sets. Adriel Rivas had two kills and a service ace as the Eagles jumped on top 12-5 in the opening game. Augustana pulled within five points (12-7) on a Richardson kill, but could get no closer. Nick Malak closed out a 25-13 Eagle win with consecutive kills.
 
The second game was tightly contested, with 17 ties and four lead changes. The largest margin was just three points—20-17 in favor of Benedictine, but the Vikings answered with three straight to tie it. However, after the final deadlock at 24-all, an Augustana service error and a kill by Kyle VanStedum gave the Eagles a 26-24 win.
 
Augustana rallied from a 16-9 deficit to win game three 27-25. Consecutive kills by freshmen Justin Murphy (Glenbard East HS, Lombard, Ill.) and Andrew Housholder (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.) started the comeback. The Vikings pulled within three points on four separate occasions before Murphy had three kills in a span of four points to draw the hosts even at 23-all. After ties at 24 and 25, Szara finished off the set with a kill and a block to give Augustana the win.
 
Set four was another nip-and-tuck affair. The margin never exceeded two points until Richardson's ace gave the Vikings a 25-22 win. Freshman Dylan Baum (Warrensburg-Latham HS, Decatur, Ill.) had five kills in the game and Murphy four.
 
Baum finished with a match and season-high 18 kills, along with 10 digs and two blocks. Murphy was right behind with 16, 12 and two, respectively. Hirschel's 54 assists were a match and season high as well. Richardson had 10 kills and eight blocks and Szara 10 kills and 13 digs. Freshman Matthew Schiferl (Wheeling HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) came through with 25 digs—also high for the contest and for Augustana this season.
 
The Vikings will look to build on the big victory later on Saturday, when they host Greenville.