AURORA, Ill. – Augustana handled Concordia-Chicago in four sets Saturday before falling to host Aurora in three at Thornton Gymnasium. The Vikings moved to 11-14 on the year heading into a MCVL match at Mount St. Joseph on Friday, April 5. Concordia fell to 4-21 on the season, while Aurora improved to 11-12.

 

AUGUSTANA 3, CONCORDIA 1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
 
The Cougars jumped on top 6-2 on their way to a 25-23 first-set win. Augustana came back to take a 14-13 lead on a Jason Szara (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) kill, but Nick Capers had two, as Concordia went back ahead 19-14. The Vikings achieved one final tie at 22-all, but a Virgilio Rodriguez kill delivered set point.
 
Game two was a see-saw affair, with Augustana taking an early 6-2 lead before the Cougars rallied to go ahead 13-10. The Vikings went up 15-14 on a Luis Zavala (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) kill and led until Concordia tied it at 22-all. A Cougar service error opened the door and a Sanchit Khaitan (Glenbard North HS, Bloomingdale, Ill.) ace and a Concordia attack error gave Augustana a 25-22 win.
 
Other than a 1-1 tie, the Vikings led the entire way in game three. A Dylan Baum (Warrensburg-Latham HS, Decatur, Ill.) kill accounted for set point in a 25-19 Augustana win.
 
In game four, the Vikings took the lead for good at 19-18 on a kill by Baum. Another by Justin Murphy (Glenbard East HS, Lombard, Ill.) provided match point as Augustana won 25-22.
 
Murphy and Baum each had a dozen kills and Szara added 10. Khaitan finished with 29 assists. Matthew Schiferl (Wheeling HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) had 12 digs and Murphy and Zavala were each in on four blocks.
 
Capers had a match-high 16 kills for the Cougars.
 
AURORA 3, AUGUSTANA 0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-17)
 
With the exception of a 21-all tie, the Spartans led wire-to-wire in winning the first set 25-21. An Aurora attack error pulled the Vikings even, but the hosts claimed the last four points of the game, including three on Augustana errors.
 
The second set was the most competitive of the match, with six ties and six lead changes. A Jack Fisher service ace gave the Spartans the lead for good at 16-15 and his kill accounted for set point in a 25-22 Aurora win.
 
The Spartans bolted to a 10-2 lead and cruised to a 25-17 win in game three. Justin Elliott's kill gave Aurora match point in a 25-17 win.
 
Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) led the Vikings with eight kills and 14 assists and his seven digs were second behind Schiferl's 10.
 
Tim Breiter had 14 kills for the Spartans, while Fischer and Elliott added 11 each. James Karwin had a match-high 34 assists.