ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Aquinas remained unbeaten on the year, handing Augustana a straight-set defeat Friday at Carver Center. While the match was the first of the season for Coach Mark Lau's Vikings, the Saints improved to 6-0 in their inaugural campaign.

 

Augustana's only lead in the opening set came at 2-1 after consecutive kills by sophomore Jason Szara (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) and freshman Caleb Minnis (Downers Grove South HS, Downers Grove, Ill.). Aquinas claimed 13 of the next 16 points, benefitting from a pair of Viking service errors and seven unforced attack errors. A Dylan Baum (Warrensburg-Latham HS, Decatur, Ill.) kill and consecutive combined blocks by Szara and freshman Luis Zavala (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) cut the deficit to 14-8, but that's as close as the hosts would get. Set point in a 25-14 Saints win came on a bad set.
 
Game two was much tighter. Neither team held a lead of more than two points until a 3-0 Aquinas run gave the guests an 11-7 advantage. Minnis and Baum had kills as Augustana pulled even at 12-all, but the Saints forged ahead again 18-14. The Vikings drew to within a point at 18-17 and again on a Szara kill that made it 22-21, but Aquinas answered with the final three points of the set, including a Colby Elder block that ended it.
 
Augustana battled back from an early 9-5 deficit in game three, eventually tying it at 11-all on a kill by Szara. Another by Baum tied it at 12-all, but the Saints countered with a Littleton kill and a Ruben Lopez service ace. The teams traded the next 11 points before a Baum kill off an assist from sophomore Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) tied it one final time at 19-all. However, Aquinas took six of the last seven points to win 25-20. A Robert Valerio block provided match point.
 
Baum led the Vikings with 15 kills and added six digs. Szara chipped in with 10 kills and seven digs. Hirschel had 33 assists, sophomore Matthew Schiferl (Wheeling HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) eight digs and Zavala was in on three blocks. The hosts couldn't survive 15 service errors and 20 unforced attack errors.
 
Lau's bunch is back in action on Sunday, January 20, facing 11th-ranked Stevenson and 14th-rated Benedictine in Lisle, Illinois. The Vikings take on the Mustangs at 2:30 p.m. and the host Eagles at 5:00 p.m.