DUBUQUE, Iowa – A spirited Augustana comeback bid fell short Wednesday evening, as Dubuque defeated the Vikings in four sets at McCormick Gymnasium. Coach Kelly Bethke's squad fell to 1-4 on the season, while the host Spartans improved to 5-0.
 
Dubuque claimed the first set 25-16 and the second 25-21 before Augustana bounced back for a 25-17 win in the third. A Ja'Nya Davis (Narbonne HS, Harbor City, Calif.) kill provided set point.
 
The Spartans jumped out to a 15-6 lead in the fourth game, but a back-row kill from senior Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) sparked a 6-0 Viking run and Augustana eventually took a 19-18 lead. However, a Rylee Andresen kill turned the momentum back in Dubuque's favor and the hosts captured seven of the final 11 points to win 25-23. Match point came on a Kara Wright kill.
 
Bialobok finished with a match-high 20 kills—most for a Viking since Emily Westermeyer had 20 on October 27, 2017. Sophomore Olivia Doak (Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.) and junior Jessica Nguyen (Kaneland HS, Elburn, Ill.) posted respective match highs of 34 assists and 23 digs. Nguyen had a pair of service aces and Davis was in on a match-best four blocks, including three of the solo variety.
 
Darby Hawtrey led a balanced Dubuque attack with a dozen kills. Wright, Grace Hintze and Shauna McAleer added 11, 10 and nine, respectively. Kate Messino delivered 29 assists and three Spartans logged double-digit digs.
 
Augustana is back in action on Friday, September 6 at 8:00 p.m., taking on the host school at the Milwaukee School of Engineering Tournament.