DUBUQUE, Iowa – Augustana traveled to Dubuque, Iowa for the second time in a week on Tuesday and fell in three sets to Loras on Lillis Court. The Vikings dropped to 3-6 on the year, while the Duhawks—receiving votes in the most recent AVCA Division III rankings—improved to 8-2.
 
Kayla Kinney had three kills as the hosts jumped on top 14-4 in game one. Juniors Jessica Nguyen (Kaneland HS, Elburn, Ill.) and Laura Heuermann (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) had a service ace and kill, respectively, as Augustana took six of the next nine points to cut the deficit to 17-10. Loras responded by taking the next five points behind a pair of Moira Mixan aces and eventually finished off a 25-12 win with a Kendra Cave kill.
 
The Vikings rallied from a 10-3 deficit pull into a 20-all tie in game two, but ultimately fell 25-22. Kinney had three kills in Loras' fast start, but senior Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) had four kills and Heuermann a pair in a 10-5 Augustana run that got it to within 15-13. After four straight Duhawk points and a timeout by Coach Kelly Bethke, the visitors answered with a 7-1 run to tie 20-all. Sophomore Lexi Miller (Oswego HS, Oswego, Ill.) had three kills in the spurt. A Viking error and a kill by Cave turned the momentum back in Loras' favor though, and they closed with a 5-2 run. Set point came on a Jessalyn Roling kill.
 
The Duhawks bolted to a 7-1 lead in game three and never looked back. They used a pair of 6-0 runs to extended the lead to 22-6. Jade Casper's kill gave Loras match point.
 
Bialobok finished with seven kills and Heuermann, Miller and senior Brooke Harmon (Lindbergh HS, St. Louis, Mo.) five each. Sophomore setter Olivia Doak (Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.) returned to the lineup with 19 assists.
 
Nguyen had a match-high 18 digs and four Vikings had one block apiece.
 
For the Duhawks, Kinney's 13 kills, Roling's 27 assists and Cave's three aces were all match bests. Defensively, Krystal Tranel had 15 digs and Kinney 11. Jackie Alberto finished with a match-high four blocks.
 
Bethke's squad will be back in action on Saturday, September 14 in Platteville, Wisconsin. Augustana will face Wisconsin Lutheran at 11:00 a.m. and Bethany Lutheran at 1:00 p.m.