SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – For the second day in a row, Augustana bounced back from a four-set loss in its first match to win its second in four at the Jim Coleman Invitational. After the Vikings fell to a Lancaster Bible outfit that's receiving votes in the AVCA Division III poll, they wrapped up tournament play by downing host Wittenberg. Sophomore Luis Zavala (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) was named to the All-Tournament team.
 
Now 2-2 on the season, Coach Mike Ducey's club is back in action on Saturday, January 25 versus Fontbonne—another team receiving votes in the AVCA poll—and Aurora in Aurora, Illinois.
 
LANCASTER BIBLE 3, AUGUSTANA 1 (25-20, 25-22, 27-29, 25-18)
 
LBC jumped on Augustana early, taking the first four points and eventually stretching the margin to six (9-3) on a Jacob Faust block. The Vikings battled back to get as close as 14-12 on a Dillan Baum (Warrensburg-Latham HS, Decatur, Ill.) kill, but the Chargers answered by winning six of the next seven points. Set point in a 25-20 LBC win came via an Augustana attack error.
 
Game two saw 16 ties by the time the score reached 20-all on a Zavala kill. However, a Kyran Flahive kill sparked a 3-0 Charger run and they led the rest of the way, closing out a 25-22 win with a kill by Kole Horst.
 
Trailing 27-26 in game three, Augustana claimed the final three points to win 29-27. A kill by junior Jason Szara (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) delivered set point.
 
LBC rode another fast start to a 25-18 win in set four. The Chargers took a 5-0 lead on a Benjamin Herb kill and the Vikings would get no closer than three points the rest of the way. Match point came on a kill by Flahive.
 
Baum finished with a dozen kills to lead Augustana. Sophomore Sanchit Khaitan (Glenbard North HS, Bloomingdale, Ill.) and junior Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) doled out 27 and 16 assists, respectively, and junior Matthew Schiferl (Wheeling HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) logged a match-high 18 digs. Zavala was in on five blocks.
 
Led by Horst's 14, three LBC players finished with double-digit kills. Reuben Kemrer had 48 assists and Zeke Hallman was in on 10 blocks.
 
AUGUSTANA 3, WITTENBERG 1 (19-25, 25-13, 28-26, 26-24)
 
The Vikings recovered from a game-one setback to take three straight from the host Tigers.
 
Jackson Tyler had three kills as Wittenberg bolted to a 7-1 lead in the opening set. Augustana chipped away and pulled to within 16-15 when a Zavala block capped a 5-1 run. The Tigers responded by winning eight of the next 10 points though and finished off a 25-19 win with another Tyler kill.
 
In game two, Zavala had four kills and a service ace as the Vikings went on a 10-3 run to break a 4-4 tie and go up 14-7. After Wittenberg claimed three points in a row, a kill and an ace by Hirschel ignited a 6-0 Augustana spurt. The visitors closed out a 25-13 win by taking the final four points. Set point came on a block by Zavala and junior Gary Dodovich (St. Benedict HS, Chicago, Ill.).
 
The Vikings rallied from a 23-17 deficit, fighting off six set points, to take the third game 28-26. Szara had four kills—including three straight that all denied the Tigers set point—in Augustana's 11-3 closing run. Set point came on a Baum kill.
 
Ducey's bunch needed extra volleyball to take the fourth set as well, claiming the final three points after trailing 24-23. Match point came via a Wittenberg attack error.
 
Szara and Zavala each delivered a match-best 12 kills, benefiting from the setting of Khaitan (28 assists) and Hirschel (18). Baum added nine kills and match highs of 13 digs and two aces. Freshman Jarod Hesse (Grayslake North HS, Villa Park, Ill.) was in on a match-high six blocks and Zavala four.