INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Coach Kelly Bethke's Augustana volleyball team posted a 2-2 record this weekend at the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Women's Invitational. The Vikings defeated Covenant and Dubuque and dropped matches to Elmhurst and Lakeland. Now 4-8 on the year, Augustana travels to Carthage for a non-conference match on Wednesday, April 14. The fifth-ranked Firebirds were crowned champion at the AVCA tournament.
 
ELMHURST 3, AUGUSTANA 1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-15, 25-15)
 
Kayla Mast had 10 kills to lead Elmhurst to a four-set win in the Vikings' tourney opener Friday. Augustana captured the first game 25-23 before the Bluejays won three straight by comfortable margins (25-18, 25-15 and 25-15).
 
Lexi Miller (Oswego HS, North Liberty, Iowa) had a team-high nine kills for the Vikings and Laura Heuermann (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.), Brook Fieldman (Plainfield East HS, Plainfield, Ill.) and Jenny Dunder (Skyline HS, Longmont, Colo.) added eight, seven and six, respectively.
 
Olivia Doak (Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, Ill.) had 31 assists, Jessica Nguyen (Kaneland HS, Elburn, Ill.) 28 digs and Dunder was in on three blocks.
 
AUGUSTANA 3, COVENANT 1 (25-16, 17-25, 25-20, 25-23)
 
Augustana and Covenant traded one-sided wins in the first two sets Friday before the Vikings took the third and fourth by respective scores of 25-20 and 25-23.
 
Fieldman delivered a season-high 19 kills, with Miller chipping in 10. Doak had 40 assists and she and Fieldman each served three aces. Nguyen had 22 digs and Jaden Julius (Lena-Winslow HS, Winslow, Ill.) was in on six blocks.
 
Alexa Spurling had 10 kills and Rachel Bartlett 32 assists for the Scots.
 
LAKELAND 3, AUGUSTANA 2 (22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 18-25, 15-12)
 
In a tight Saturday contest that saw each team score 105 points, Lakeland took set five by a score of 15-12 to claim the match. Augustana won sets one and four 25-22 and 25-18, while the Muskies captured the second and third 25-20 and 25-23.
 
Led by Fieldman's 15, four Vikings reached double digits in kills. Miller added 11 and Heuermann and Julius 10 each. Julius also had four aces. Nguyen logged 33 more digs, with plenty of help from Grace Vranicar (Kaneland HS, Maple Park, Ill.) (21) and Doak (20), who dished out 55 assists as well. Ja'Nya Davis (Narbonne HS, Los Angeles, Calif.) finished with two solo and five assisted blocks.
 
AUGUSTANA 3, DUBUQUE 1 (25-23, 15-25, 25-17, 25-13)
 
Augustana finished tournament play with a four-set win over Dubuque. The Vikings took game one 25-23 before the Spartans roared back with a 25-15 win in set two. Bethke's bunch righted itself and cruised to 25-17 and 25-13 victories in the third and fourth.
 
Augustana got a balanced attack, with Fieldman, Heurmann and Emily Schipper (Fulton HS, Fulton, Ill.) recording nine kills apiece and Julius and Miller contributing seven each. Doak's 29 assists led the way and Nguyen (18), Schipper (12) and Doak (12) were the dig leaders. Davis was in on six more blocks.