KENOSHA, Wis. – Winning at third-ranked Carthage was too big a hill to climb for Augustana Thursday, as Coach Kelly Bethke's squad saw its season come to an end with a straight-set loss in a CCIW Tournament semifinal at Tarble Arena. The Vikings wrapped up 2019 with a record of 13-19, while the Lady Reds improved to 26-3 and advanced to the tournament final against Millikin on Saturday, November 9.
 
Consecutive kills by senior Taylor Steger (Red Wing HS, Goodhue, Minn.) gave Augustana a 4-3 lead early in game one and the Vikings still led 7-6 before Carthage rattled off eight straight points to take control. Haley Horner had three kills in the run, which ended with the Lady Reds on top 14-7. A Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) kill pulled Bethke's outfit to within 15-10, but that was as close as it would get. Set point in a 25-14 Carthage win came on an Ellie LeCount service ace.
 
Augustana went up 4-1 in game two behind kills by Bialobok and freshman Ja'Nya Davis (Narbonne HS, Harbor City, Calif.), but the hosts claimed the next five points and wouldn't trail again. They won 25-11, with set point coming via a Viking attack error.
 
Nicole Acton's kill broke a five-all tie in game three and the Lady Reds went on to a 25-17 win. Augustana got kills from freshman Sophia Alexander (Verna Area HS, Verona, Wis.), Bialobok and senior Brooke Harmon (Lindbergh HS, St. Louis, Mo.) in a 6-2 run late, but another Acton kill eventually provided Carthage with match point.
 
Bialobok, who went over 1,000 career kills in Tuesday's win over Elmhurst, added seven Thursday to finish her career with 1,025—11th-most in school history. Her 426 this year are the sixth-most in a season for a Viking. Harmon had seven kills as well, along with two blocks. Sophomore Olivia Doak (Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.) had 20 assists and junior Jessica Nguyen (Kaneland HS, Elburn, Ill.) had 18 digs to finish the season with 617—fourth-most in program history.
 
The Lady Reds were led by Horner's 12 kills, LeCount's 28 assists and Laura de Rosales' 14 digs.