MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Augustana fell to Benedictine in three tight games Saturday, before bouncing back to down Alverno in straight sets—all by comfortable margins—at the Milwaukee School of Engineering Invite. The Vikings will take a 3-5 record into a Tuesday, September 10 match at Loras.
 
BENEDICTINE 3, AUGUSTANA 0 (25-23, 27-25, 26-24)
 
Benedictine captured the first game 25-23 and had to play extra points to claim the second and third by scores of 27-25 and 26-24, respectively. The Eagles improved to 5-2 on the season.
 
Senior Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) led Coach Kelly Bethke's squad with 13 kills, while classmate Brooke Harmon (Lindbergh HS, St. Louis, Mo.) added seven, without an error, on just 12 swings. Senior Brooke Keegan (Hall HS, Ladd, Ill.) and sophomore Jordan Dryfhout (Chicago Christian HS, Orland Park, Ill.) split setting duties in place of regular Olivia Doak (Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.), recording 12 and 17 assists, respectively. Harmon and Keegan each posted three service aces.
 
Junior Jessica Nguyen (Kaneland HS, Elburn, Ill.) had a match-high 15 digs, with Bialobok and Keegan chipping in seven apiece. Harmon led the way with six blocks.
 
Benedictine was led by Molly Stock's 14 kills, while Taylor Dunwell added 10 and Yngride JeanPhillipe eight. Alyssa Mojica's 35 assists were a match best and she shared the ace lead (three) with Madelynn Sepet.
 
Hayley Primas led four Eagles in double-digit digs with a dozen and JeanPhillipe had two blocks.
 
AUGUSTANA 3, ALVERNO 0 (25-9, 25-15, 25-17)
 
Bethke gave ample playing time to her bench, as Augustana dominated Alverno in its second match of the day. The Vikings handed the Inferno its seventh setback in as many matches by scores of 25-9, 25-15 and 25-17.
 
Sophomore Lexi Miller (Oswego HS, Oswego, Ill.) led Augustana with a match-high eight kills and no errors in 20 swings. Freshman Ja'Nya Davis (Narbonne HS, Harbor City, Calif.) added five kills. Freshman Caroline Hurst (Metea Valley HS, Aurora, Ill.) delivered five aces and senior Taylor Steger (Red Wing HS, Goodhue, Minn.) four, while Keegan dished out 11 assists.
 
Senior Madi Glatz (Morton HS, Morton, Ill.) had a team-high seven digs, one more than Hurst. Miller, Davis, Steger and Hurst each had a pair of blocks.
 
Alverno was led by Kierra Sherlock's five kills and 10 digs and Alex McMath's 12 assists.