Box Score

OLIVET, Mich. – Coach Mark Lau's Augustana volleyball team—which has the stage nearly all to itself this weekend with Spring snow cancelling several athletic contests—picked up a Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League win on Friday, defeating Olivet in four sets at the Cutler Event Center. The Vikings won 25-9, 21-25, 25-20 and 25-22 to improve to 9-15 on the season and 2-4 in the MCVL. The Comets fell to 6-12 overall and 0-7 in the conference.
 
Jason Szara (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) had four kills as Augustana rolled to a 25-9 win in game one. After a Trent Robinson kill tied it at two apiece, the Vikings won seven of the next eight points and were never threatened. Set point came on an Olivet attack error.
 
The hosts rallied and led nearly wire-to-wire in the second game, winning 25-21. An Augustana service error gave the Comets the lead for good at 4-3. A Brock Pringle service ace pushed the margin to its largest at 24-18 and a Zach Pringle kill provided set point.
 
Sazara had a pair of kills as the Vikings jumped in front 4-1 in game three. Kills by freshmen Joshua Richardson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Hazel Crest, Ill.), Szara and Dylan Baum (Warrensburg-Latham HS, Decatur, Ill.) extended the margin to five on three different occasions and Augustana still led 15-10 after freshman Andrew Housholder (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.) teamed up with Szara to block a Robinson attack. Olivet took six of the next seven points to forge a 16-all tie and it was still tied at 18-18 before a kill by freshman Justin Murphy (Glenbard East HS, Lombard, Ill.) gave Augustana the lead for good. The Vikings won the last three points, getting set point on Baum's kill off a set from freshman Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.).
 
It was the Comets that took an early lead in the fourth game before Augustana roared back to win 25-22. Aces by Rhett and Brock Pringle gave Olivet its biggest leads at 13-7 and 16-10. That six-point margin was matched at 17-11 following a Viking service error. However, the visitors took the next seven points. A Baum ace drew Augustana even (17-17) for the first time since 0-0 and a Szara kill gave Lau's crew its first lead at 18-17. The Comets came back to take a 22-20 lead before the Vikings closed the match by winning five straight points. Hirschel's kill off a Baum set started the run and match point came on an Olivet attack error.
 
Hirschel had a fine all-around effort. As usual, he led Augustana with 42 assists, but also had four aces, six digs and seven kills with just one error in 12 attacks—good for a .500 percentage. Baum led the attack with 13 kills and a .500 attack percentage. Murphy added a dozen kills and 10 digs and Szara had 11 kills. Reigning MCVL Defensive Player of the Week Matthew Schiferl (Wheeling HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) led the Vikings with 13 digs.
 
Brock Pringle led the Comets with 13 kills and also chipped in with 12 digs.
 
Augustana is back in action on Saturday, March 24, taking on Adrian in Adrian, Michigan beginning at 1:00 p.m. EDT.