ELMHURST, Ill. – Augustana split a pair of matches Saturday on day two of the Elmhurst Invitational at Faganel Hall. The Vikings fell in straight sets to 10th-ranked Aurora before bouncing back with a four-set win over Greenville. Coach Kelly Bethke's Vikings, 1-3 on the season, travel to Dubuque to face the Spartans on Wednesday, September 4 at 7:00 p.m.
 
AURORA 3, AUGUSTANA 0 (25-5, 25-22, 25-23)
 
After struggling in a 25-5 first set loss, Augustana was much more competitive in games two and three, but ultimately fell to Aurora 25-22 and 25-23.
 
Sophomore Lexi Miller (Oswego HS, Oswego, Ill.) and senior Taylor Steger (Red Wing HS, Goodhue, Minn.) recorded the Vikings' two kills in game one.
 
Miller had two kills to help stake Bethke's squad to a 7-1 game-two lead. It wasn't until Lindsey Simpson and Karli Chambers teamed up on a block that the Spartans grabbed the lead at 18-17. A Colby Oltman kill eventually accounted for set point.
 
Augustana led early in game three as well. A Madi Glatz (Morton HS, Morton, Ill.) service ace gave the Vikings their largest advantage at 12-7 and they still led 14-12 following a Steger kill. However, Aurora claimed the next four points to go ahead. Kills by senior Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) forged ties at 20 and 21-all and a Spartan service error evened the score one final time at 22-all. However, Aurora captured three of the last four points to close things out. A Chambers kill delivered match point.
 
Bialobok finished with a team-high nine kills. Sophomore Olivia Doak (Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.) led Augustana with 16 assists and junior Jessica Nguyen (Kaneland HS, Elburn, Ill.) contributed a team-best 16 digs. Madison Leone (11 kills and four aces), Harleigh Holder (22 assists) and Julia Wood (22 digs) led the Spartans.
 
AUGUSTANA 3, GREENVILLE 1 (25-20, 19-25, 25-16, 25-16)
 
In the team's second match of the day, Bialobok posted 16 kills to lead the Vikings to their first win of the season.
 
Glatz opened the match with an ace and Bialobok had two kills as Augustana jumped on top 7-1. Greenville got as close as three points on three occasions, but a Laura Heuermann (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) kill sparked a 4-2 closing run and another by Steger gave the Vikings set point in a 25-20 win.
 
The Panthers tied the match with a 25-19 win in game two. Senior Brooke Harmon (Lindbergh HS, St. Louis, Mo.) had a kill and an ace as Augustana took an early 5-1 lead.  Mia Bonacorsi's ace pulled Greenville even for the first time at 15-all and a Viking error on the next point gave the Panthers their first lead. After a Bialobok kill tied it at 16-all, the Panthers took control by winning the next seven points. An Augustana attack error gave them set point.
 
Bethke's crew claimed the last 10 points of game three to post a 25-16 win. There were four lead changes before the Vikings tied it at 16-all on a bad Greenville set. A Panther attack error gave Augustana the lead for good and Bialobok had two kills as the Vikings captured the next eight points as well. Set point came via another Greenville error.
 
Other than ties at one and two-all, Augustana led wire-to-wire in a 25-16 game-four win. Junior Savana Sparks (Maroa Forsyth HS, Maroa, Ill.) had two kills, including one for match point, in a 5-0 closing run.
 
In addition to Bialobok's match-high 16 kills, Harmon and Steger added nine apiece. Doak's 33 assists and Nguyen's 18 digs were both match highs and five Vikings each delivered two aces.
 
Jasmin Smith led the Panthers with 11 kills.