ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) equaled a career high with 21 kills Saturday, but it wasn't enough to prevent Augustana from falling in four sets to St. Mary's at the Viking Classic. The Vikings dropped to 8-9 on the season, while the Cardinals improved to 11-7.
 
Bialobok had two kills as Augustana jumped on top 10-5 in game one. The margin was still five (18-13) after a Ja'Nya Davis (Narbonne HS, Harbor City, Calif.) kill and a Brooke Harmon (Lindbergh HS, St. Louis, Mo.) block (20-15). St. Mary's eventually fought off three set points before another Bialobok kill finished off a 25-23 Viking win.
 
The Cardinals claimed four straight points to take a 5-3 lead in game two and while Coach Kelly Bethke's bunch tied it eight times, it could never grab the lead. A 4-0 St. Mary's run gave the Cardinals a 17-12 advantage, but Taylor Steger (Red Wing HS, Goodhue, Minn.) had two kills as Augustana answered with five straight to pull even at 17-all. The visitors went back in front however. The Vikings fought of two set points before kills by Elise Amerongen and Daynalyn Jostock gave St. Mary's a 26-24 victory.
 
Augustana rallied to force bonus volleyball in game three, but ultimately fell 31-29 when Coral Anderson and Hope Miner teamed up on a Cardinal block. The Vikings led 5-4 after a Bialobok kill, but St. Mary's answered with three straight points and would lead until they served for set point at 24-21. Two Cardinal errors and a Savana Sparks (Maroa-Forsyth HS, Maroa, Ill.) ace pulled the hosts even at 24-all. Despite four more Bialobok kills, St. Mary's held on for the win.
 
The fourth set was tied 7-7 following a Harmon kill, but the Cardinals ran off six straight points and were never threatened after that. Jostock and Amerongen each had two kills in the run. Later, Linnea Wallis had three kills in a 5-0 spurt that stretched the lead to 20-10. Match point came on Jostock's 18 kill of the contest.
 
In addition to Bialobok's performance, Doak finished with 40 assists, two aces and 10 digs. Junior Jessica Nguyen (Kaneland HS, Elburn, Ill.) had 28 digs and Harmon was in on three blocks.
 
Next up for Augustana is a CCIW match at Elmhurst on Tuesday, October 1.