NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Augustana wrapped up its tour of New York State on Saturday, falling in five sets to Elmira and in three to eighth-ranked host SUNY-New Paltz. The Vikings return to the Midwest with a record of 5-9 and will open Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League play on Saturday, March 2 at Carver Center versus

Greenville .
 
ELMIRA 3, AUGUSTANA 2 (25-18, 25-22, 25-27, 21-25, 20-18)
 
After falling behind two sets to none versus Elmira (8-10), Augustana battled back to claim games three and four and force a fifth. However, the Soaring Eagles prevailed 20-18 to take the match.
 
The Vikings played from behind the entire way in game one. Elmira won the first two points and eventually built a lead of 24-14. Augustana fought off four set points before committing an attack error that gave Elmira a 25-18 win.
 
Consecutive errors by the Soaring Eagles put the Vikings on top 20-18 in the second set, but Elmira won seven of the last nine points to post a 25-22 win. Set point came on an Augustana attack error.
 
Kills by Luis Zavala (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.), Dillan Baum (Warrensburg-Latham HS, Decatur, Ill.) and Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) helped the Vikings to an 8-1 lead in set three. Elmira rallied and eventually went up 22-20 on a Jeremy Best service ace. A Hirschel block got Augustana even at 24-all and the teams traded points until a Caleb Minnis (Downers Grove South HS, Downers Grove, Ill.) kill and a Soaring Eagle attack error gave the Vikings a 27-25 win.
 
Freshman Sanchit Khaitan (Glenbard North HS, Bloomingdale, Ill.) got Augustana started with a pair of service aces in game four and the Vikings would lead wire-to-wire in a 25-21 win. Hirschel set Baum for a kill and set point.
 
Baum had a pair of kills as his team jumped in front 6-4 in the deciding set. From there it turned into a see-saw affair. Augustana led 8-7 at the turn and later 11-8. However, Landon had three kills in a 5-0 that put Elmira up 13-11. The Vikings fought off four match points and the Soaring Eagles two before a Ryan McDonough kill delivered a 20-18 Elmira victory.
 
Baum finished with 15 kills and Szara 14. Khaitan (30) and Hirschel (25) combined for 55 assists. Zavala was in on seven blocks and Matthew Schiferl (Wheeling HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) and Szara chipped in 15 and 10 digs, respectively.
 
SUNY-NEW PALTZ 3, AUGUSTANA 0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-16)
 
Augustana managed a 10-8 lead against the eighth-ranked Hawks in game one following a kill by Szara, but Nick O'Malley had three kills in a 6-0 run that put SUNY-New Paltz up 14-10. The Vikings would get no closer than three points the rest of the way and committed a service error to give their hosts set point in a 25-17 win.
 
In set two, Augustana led 17-14, but the Hawks won seven of the next eight points to go up 21-18. The Vikings got as close as 21-20, but an O'Malley kill closed out a 25-22 New Paltz win.
 
Other than a 1-1 tie, Augustana trailed the entire way in game three. Matthew Grace set Sam Yakubowski for a match-point kill that gave the Hawks a 25-16 victory.
 
Szara and Justin Murphy (Glenbard East HS, Lombard, Ill.) led the Vikings with eight kills apiece. Khaitan dished out a dozen assists. Zavala and Hirschel were each in on two blocks and Schiferl had three digs.