RIVER FOREST, Ill. – Augustana split two matches Saturday at Dominican University's Igini Sports Forum. After falling in three sets to the sixth-ranked host Stars (1-1), the Vikings rebounded with a straight-set win over Mount St. Joseph (0-5). Coach Mark Lau's club is now 1-4 on the season and will face Aurora and Loras in Dubuque, Iowa on Sunday, February 3.

 

DOMINICAN 3, AUGUSTANA x (26-24, 25-22,25-19)
 
Dominican rallied from a 20-13 deficit to claim the opening game. After a kill  by freshman Luis Zavala (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) put Augustana up seven, the Stars' comeback started with an Ethan Klosak block and they eventually pulled even at 22-all on a Viking attack error. A kill by sophomore Joshua Richardson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Haze Crest, Ill.) stemmed the tide temporarily, but the hosts got a Jake Sidner kill and a Patrick Bradford block to take their first lead since 1-0. Set point in a 26-24 Dominican win came via an Augustana attack error.
 
Augustana achieved five ties early in game two, but could never grab the lead and eventually fell 25-22. Trailing 22-17, the Vikings got a Richardson kill to spark a 3-0 run that trimmed the margin to 22-20, but an attack error flipped the momentum back in the Stars' favor. Klosak's kill finished off the set.
 
Dominican jumped in front 9-4 in the third game before the visitors bounced back, getting as close as 12-10 on a Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) service ace. The Stars extended their advantage back to 22-17, but kills by freshman Caleb Minnis (Downers Grove South HS, Downers Grove, Ill.) and sophomore Justin Murphy (Glenbard East HS, Lombard, Ill.) prompted a Dominican timeout. The tactic worked, as the Stars got a Adrian Cebula kill, an Adam Eboli block and an Augustana attack error to finish of the match with a 25-19 victory.
 
Minnis led the Vikings with eight kills and three blocks. Hirschel and sophomore Dylan Baum (Warrensburg-Latham HS, Decatur, Ill.) added seven kills apiece and Hirschel delivered 23 assists. Sophomore Matthew Schiferl (Wheeling HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) finished with a team-high 13 digs. Sidner had a match-best nine kills for Dominican.
 
AUGUSTANA 3 MOUNT ST. JOSEPH 0 (29-27, 25-22, 25-20)
 
Augustana came back from a 16-8 deficit to pull out game one versus Mount St. Joseph 29-27. Still trailing 20-14, the Vikings claimed seven of the next eight points to pull even at 21-all. Baum sparked and capped the run with kills and added another, along with a block, in the middle of the spurt. The Lions ultimately fought off four set points before freshman Sanchit Khaitan (Glenbard North HS, Bloomingdale, Ill.) set Baum for a kill that ended it.
 
MSJ took an early lead in the second game as well. A Rey Sanchez kill put the Lions on top 13-8 before Augustana began chipping away. Richardson had an ace and Zavala a kill as the Vikings took three straight points to tie it at 15-all. A Murphy kill gave Augustana its first lead at 17-16 and other than a 19-all tie, the Vikings would lead the rest of the way. Set point in a 25-22 win came on a kill by Murphy.
 
A block by Baum and Richardson broke the final tie (10-10) of game three and ignited a 4-0 Augustana run. MSJ would get no closer than three points the rest of the way. Match point came on a kill by Richardson.
 
Baum's 12 kills were a match-high. Minnis added eight and Khaitan recorded 27 assists. Schiferl and Murphy led the way defensively with 12 and 10 digs, respectively, while Richardson was in on six blocks, Minnis five and Zavala four.