POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Augustana took a recently-ranked Vassar squad to the wire in three sets Thursday, but ultimately fell in all three by scores of 25-22, 28-26 and 25-23. The Vikings dropped to 4-7 on the season while the Brewers improved to 8-4.

 

Augustana couldn't maintain a lead in game one. After a back-and-forth start, a block by Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.), Luis Zavala (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) and Jason Szara (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) put the Vikings on top 8-7. They would eventually extend the advantage to 18-12 on a Vassar error before the hosts rallied. The Brewers pulled even at 19-all on a block by Yani Auerbach and Ghali Khalil and took a 20-19 lead on a Kevin Ros kill. A Szara kill achieved one final tie at 21-all, but Vassar pulled away, getting set point on a block by Khalil and Jefferson Waters.
 
The visitors led for much of the early portion of set two as well, but a 4-0 run put the Brewers up 17-14. Augustana battled back to tie at 23-all on a kill by Dillan Baum (Warrensburg-Latham HS, Decatur, Ill.) and also forged ties at 24, 25 and 26, but consecutive Ros aces closed out a 28-26 Vassar win.
 
The Vikings let another lead slip away in game three. A Szara kill gave Augustana its biggest advantage at 13-6, but a Ros kill ignited a 9-1 Brewer run. Waters finished it with a kill that put Vassar on top 15-14. The set was nip-and-tuck the rest of the way. A 20-18 Viking lead was the only time the spread reached two points until the Brewers took a 23-21 lead on an Augustana attack error. Match point in a 25-23 Vassar win eventually came via a Viking service error.
 
Baum led Augustana with nine kills. Hirschel had team highs of 17 assists, three aces and nine digs. Szara and Zavala were each in on three blocks. Ros led the Brewers with 11 kills.
 
Augustana's tour of the state of New York continues on Friday, February 22 when the Vikings tale on York in Jamaica, New York at 7:00 p.m. EST.