RIVER FOREST, Ill. – Augustana faced a tall task Saturday, travelling to Dominican to take on the nation's sixth-ranked team on its home court. The Stars got the better of their guests, taking down the Vikings in straight sets at the Igini Sports Center. Coach Mike Ducey's team will take a 1-2 record into its February 17 match at Carthage, while Dominican improved to 2-0 on the season.
 
Two kills and consecutive service aces by Luis Zavala (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) helped Augustana jump to a 6-3 lead in game one. The Vikings still led 8-7 after a Caleb Minnis (Downers Grove South HS, Downers Grove, Ill.) kill, but Troy Kates' kill sparked a 3-0 Star run that gave them the lead for good. Dominican eventually captured the set by a score of 25-17.
 
The hosts led almost wire-to-wire in a 25-18 game-two win. After committing a service error to start things, they got a combined block from George Kougan and Trey Cowan and a kill by Kougan to take the lead. Augustana forged ties at two and three-all before another Kougan kill gave Dominican a lead it wouldn't surrender. A Cowan kill delivered set point.
 
The Stars took a nip-and-tuck third set by a score of 25-22. The Vikings led early at 2-1 and 3-2 and although they wouldn't lead again, only once did the margin climb above three points—at 17-13. They battled back to pull even once more at 20-all, but Kougan answered with a kill to give Dominican the lead and another by Mat Molloy eventually accounted for match point.
 
Augustana was led by Gary Dodovich's (St. Benedict HS, Chicago, Ill.) seven kills, Sanchit Khaitan's (Glenbard North, Bloomingdale, Ill.) 24 assists and Brett Kliegl's (Neuqua Valley HS, Bolingbrook, Ill.) seven digs. Stars Kougan and Jack McGuire had match highs of 13 kills and 32 assists, respectively. Kougan was also in on five blocks.