ROCK ISLAND -- For the first time in 20 years, the Augustana Vikings women's volleyball team has defeated the Carthage Firebirds, picking up a 3-2 win at home on Wednesday night.

After the Firebirds squeaked out a three-point win in the opening set, the Vikings bounced back with a 25-21 victory in the ensuing game to even the score at one win apiece. The Vikings grabbed six of the first seven points in the frame and held a lead until the Firebirds went out in front at 11-10. The two teams continued their back-and-forth affair, with neither holding a lead of more than two until a 5-0 run when trailing 21-18 put the Vikings back out ahead. After a pair of Carthage scores, the Vikings took four of the final points to claim the set win. 

Another close set followed with the matched deadlock. Again, neither team could push their lead beyond two points, staying within striking distance of each other until the two teams found themselves in an 18-18 tie. From there, the Vikings strung together the first big run down the stretch, leaping out to a 23-21 lead to force a Firebirds timeout. Carthage came out of the break with four tallies in a row to steal a 25-23 victory and go up 2-1 in the match. 

The theme of the match continued in set four, with both the Vikings and Firebirds staying within two points of one another before an 8-1 scoring spree from Augustana flipped a two-point deficit into a five-point cushion at a score of 21-16. With four points remaining to push the match to five sets, Carthage stormed back to eventually tie and take the lead at match point with a score of 24-23. The Vikings responded with the final three points, fueled by two kills from Jaden Julius to extend the match to a deciding game.

The Firebirds held a small lead to begin the fifth, but the Vikings never trailed after tying the score at 3-3 and taking the lead the following rally. Carthage successfully got within a point at 7-6, but Augie answered with a score and slowly pulled away. Leading 11-9, three straight points put the Vikings at match point, clinching the contest a few rallies later on an attack error from the visitors.

Defense shined in the win for Augustana as four different players notched double-digit digs, led by 18 from Grace Vranicar and 16 from Evey Gervase. Syd Krueger also added six blocks in the middle and had 11 kills on 18 attempts. Julius and Emily Schipper tied for match-high 17 kills.

With the victory, the Vikings improve to 13-4 overall and 2-2 in the CCIW. The team will be back in action on Wednesday, October 11 to host Elmhurst.