ELMHURST, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings women's volleyball team was defeated on the road on Tuesday night at Elmhurst by a score of 3-2.

After the Bluejays grabbed a convincing win in the opening set, the Vikings bounced back with a 25-20 decision in the second to even the match at one win apiece. Augie got out to a fast start with six of the first seven points and grew the margin out to nine at 13-4 moments later. The Vikings never lost the lead despite enduring a 9-0 scoring run from the Bluejays to even the game, using their second 6-1 scoring spurt in the frame to pull back ahead. Elmhurst posed one final comeback threat and got within three at 23-20, but a kill by Carli Udovich and joint block from Mallory Coley and Kylie Collachia sealed the five-point win. The Bluejays went back out in front with a 25-14 win in the third.

In the fourth, Augustana used another quick start to pull ahead, this time jumping out to a 9-3 advantage. From there, the home team slowly inched back and eventually pulled even with the Vikings at 19 before taking their first lead of the set one rally later. Augie swiftly moved the lead back in its favor with three straight scores, but the teams again found themselves tied at 22, 23, and 24. A service error from Elmhurst gave Augustana its second straight set point and Emily Schipper wrapped up the victory with a kill to force a fifth and deciding game.

It was a back-and-forth battle in the fifth, with the two squads seeing seven ties on their way to an 8-8 deadlock. The Bluejays broke away from tie with a 3-0 run, but Schipper later rallied the Vikings back within one with consecutive kills to make it 13-12. Two straight kills from the home team halted the Augie comeback threat and secured the 15-12 victory.

Schipper led the way with 19 kills, while Collachia finished with a match-high 34 assists. Carmela Carbone also added five kills on nine attempts to go with three blocks. 

With the loss, Augustana drops to 7-11 overall and 1-3 in the CCIW. The team will be back in action this weekend for four non-conference contests  in Stevens Point, Wis.