AURORA, Ill.—Augustana handled Fontbonne in three sets and fell to host Aurora in four Saturday at Thornton Gymnasium. Coach Mike Ducey's Vikings moved to 3-3 on the year heading into a match versus fifth-ranked Benedictine in Lisle, Illinois on Sunday, January 26.
 
AUGUSTANA 3, FONTBONNE 0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20)
 
Augustana opened the day's action with a three-set victory over a Fontbonne program that finished 26-3 a year ago.
 
The Vikings trailed 8-4 in game one, but Jason Szara (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) and Dillan Baum (Warrensburg-Latham HS, Decatur, Ill.) each had three kills in a 15-7 run that put them up 19-15. The Griffins took advantage of consecutive Augustana errors to pull within 20-19 before Ducey's outfit claimed  five of the last six points to close out a 25-20 win. Set point came via a Fontbonne attack error.
 
Sazara had three kills and Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) a pair, as the Vikings took a 9-4 lead in game two. The Griffins battled back to go up 16-15 on a Kyler van Rossum-O'Connell service ace. They still led 20-19 before a Baum kill sparked a 6-2 Augustana closing run. A Hirschel kill delivered set point in a 25-22 win.
 
The Vikings won seven straight points—six with Hirschel serving—to erase a 6-2 deficit and go ahead 9-6 in set three. The advantage eventually reached 15-8 following a Justin Murphy (Glenbard East HS, Lombard, Ill.) kill. A Baum kill pushed it to 18-9 and the margin grew to 23-16 after a Fontbonne attack error. The final was 25-20, with Hirschel setting Szara for a kill and match point.
 
Szara finished with 10 kills and Baum added nine. Hirschel's line included five kills, 15 assists, five digs and three blocks. Sanchit Khaitan (Glenbard North HS, Bloomingdale, Ill.) shared the team lead with 15 assists and Matthew Schiferl (Wheeling HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) led Augustana with seven digs. Jarod Hesse (Grayslake North HS, Lake Villa, Ill.) was in on six blocks, followed by five each by Murphy and John Cunningham (Hononegah HS, Roscoe, Ill.).
 
AURORA 3, AUGUSTANA 1
 
Aurora came away a winner in the Vikings' second match of the day.
 
Augustana led the opening game 6-4, but Austin Bayner's kill fired a 7-1 run that put the Spartans up 16-10. The Vikings wouldn't get closer than four points the rest of the way. Set point in a 25-20 Aurora win came on an Augustana service error.
 
No more than two points separated the teams in game two until a Viking attack error gave the Spartans a 23-20 advantage. Szara and Cade Harrsion traded kills before a Bayner ace finished off a 25-21 Aurora win.
 
Baum had a kill and an ace as the visitors jumped on top 4-0 in game three and his kills accounted for five consecutive Augustana points as the lead stretched to 13-8. It continued to grow, reaching 23-14 on another Baum ace and a Spartan attack error gave the Vikings set point and a 25-16 win.
 
Augustana took a 20-19 lead in set four before Aurora won four straight points to take control. Tim Breiter's kill gave the Spartans a 23-20 edge and he had another for match point, as Aurora came out on top 25-22.
 
Baum finished with a match-best 13 kills, along with six digs and two aces. Szara and Murphy added eight kills apiece. Hirschel's 20 assists were one more than Khaitan, while his 10 digs trailed only Schiferl's 16. Hesse recorded a pair of blocks.
 
Jack Fisher and Thomas Kovanic each had 11 kills to lead the Spartans.