DUBUQUE, Iowa -- The Augustana Vikings men's volleyball team dropped to the No. 4 Loras Duhawks on Wednesday by a final score of 3-0.

The Vikings grabbed the first four points of the match, but Loras fought back to tie the game at 7-7. The Duhawks seized the lead shortly after the deadlock and maintained their advantage all the way to a 25-20 win. Augie got within two at 18-16, but Loras saw a 7-4 run to close out the game.

In the second, the Duhawks doubled up Augie with a quick 4-2 lead, but the Vikings responded with four points in a row to claim their first lead of the set. A 7-0 spurt from the home team shifted momentum back to Loras, eventually holding on for another 25-20 victory. Augustana got within two again late at 18-16, but Loras finished with an identical run as the first to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Augie secured the first two points of the third after an attack error by Loras and a service ace by Colin Schaefer. The Duhawks tied it up 4-4 and both teams linked the score three times before three consecutive points put the Vikings ahead with a score of 10-7. Augie maintained the lead until Loras evened the score at 15 and both teams followed with three more draws. The Duhawks secured a 6-3 run to wrap up the third set with a final score of 25-22.

Aidan Bolen led with nine kills, while Schaefer had 26 assists to lead the Vikings' attack. Max Sellers finished with 10 digs.

With the loss, Augie moves to 15-3 on the season and 2-2 in conference play. The Vikings will return to the Carver Center on Saturday, March 16 to host No. 10 Carthage.