DECATUR, Ill.  – Augustana was unable to capitalize on the momentum from a big game one win Wednesday, falling in five sets at Millikin. The Vikings, who were seeking their first win in Decatur since 1996, dropped to 5-4 overall and 0-1 in the CCIW. The Big Blue improved to 4-3 on the season and 1-0 in the conference.
 
Three straight Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) kills keyed an 8-1 Augustana run that put the visitors on top 9-2 in set one. Millikin got as close as 9-5 after three consecutive Viking errors, but Augustana ran off another five points in a row and was never threatened again. A Big Blue service error gave Coach Kelly Bethke's bunch set point in a 25-13 win. Bialobok had four kills in the game.
 
Set two saw 13 ties and five lead changes before Millikin finally took the lead for good. Three straight Big Blue points, including kills by Marissa McElroy and Lauren Brummel put the hosts on top 16-13. The Vikings battled back to within a point twice, but kills by Gabrielle Coulthard and Maddi Holland keyed another 3-0 run that put Millikin up 20-16. Set point in a 25-20 Big Blue win came on a Rose Syverson kill. After hitting -.100 in game one, Millikin bounced back with a .471 effort in game two.
 
The hosts took control of set three with a 5-1 run that took the score from 6-6 to 11-7. Augustana pulled to within 14-12, but the Big Blue answered by winning seven of the next nine points to take a 21-14 lead. A Viking attack error provided set point, as Millikin won 25-19.
 
Augustana jumped on top 4-1 behind a pair of Emily Uglem (Moorhead HS, Moorhead, Minn.) kills in the fourth game and led nearly wire-to-wire. The Big Blue forged ties at 12, 13 and 14, but were never able to grab the lead. Freshman Olivia Doak (Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.) set senior Taryn VanEarwage (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) for kills that gave the Vikings their final two points in a 25-23 win.
 
Game five was tied 3-3, but Coulthard had three kills as Millikin went on an 8-0 run to take control. They won 15-6, with match point coming on a kill by Brummel.
 
Uglem led Augustana with 10 kills. Senior McKenzie Zambrano (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) contributed 22 assists and sophomore Jessica Nguyen (Kaneland HS, Elburn, Ill.) 15 digs. Junior Brooke Harmon (Lindbergh HS, St. Louis, Mo.) finished with a team-high five blocks and senior Victoria Biggerstaff (Broomfield HS, Broomfield, Colo.) delivered three aces.
 
Coulthard, Marissa McElroy and Emily Seegmiller each had a match-high 12 kills for the Big Blue, who survived 27 service errors.
 
Augustana is back in action this weekend, hosting the Viking Classic at Carver Center. Bethke's crew will open on Friday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m. against 7-1 Alma.