ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The Augustana women's volleyball team opened the 2021 CCIW season this evening with a match against Carthage.
 
The Firebirds entered the night with a national-ranking of 24 and were seeking to reach double-digits in the win column. On the other side, Augustana has been trending in the opposite direction as they dropped their four previous matches.
 
Carthage lived up to their ranking in a 3-0 sweep of the Vikings with scores of 25-18, 25-19, and 25-15 in each respective set.
 
Emily Schipper led a struggling Augie offensive attack with five total kills. Schipper also added six digs on the night.
 
Elsewhere, Olivia Doak reached double-figures in assists with 10 and Grace Vranicar produced a solid 16 digs.
 
The Vikings' slate does not get any easier, however, as they hit the road for a non-conference triangular match. Augustana will face off against 10^th-ranked Wartburg College and Augsburg University this Saturday, Sept. 25 in Waverly, Iowa.