ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The Augustana Vikings volleyball team went the distance on Friday evening in Whitewater, Wis. pushing #11 Colby to five sets before ultimately falling 3–2 with set scores of 25–21, 16–25, 11–25, 25–18, and 8–15.
The Vikings came out firing to open the match, racing to a lead behind an early kill from
Carli Udovich,
Kacie Swanson's ace, and a
Lanah Queckboerner finish to start 3-0.
Carmela Carbone would find the floor off an assist from
Abby Kirchner would extend the lead to 6-2. Carbone capped the early surge, while
Alita Folkening and
Alexis Richards paired for a key block to extend the margin to 8–4. After Colby trimmed the gap, Udovich & Queckboerner delivered back-to-back kills to keep Augustana in front 10–7. Colby would battle back to tie the set at 16 apiece. A late push from the Vikings featured two consecutive service aces from Richards and another Queckboerner kill. The stretch would continue with two more service aces from Richards who would assist Queckboerner for another to reach set point 24-16. The Mules mounted a short rally, but Queckboerner sealed the opening set off a
Leah Rizzo assist, giving Augie a 25–21 set win.
Colby found momentum early in the second, jumping out 4-1. A combo block from Udovich and Carbone who the latter would follow up with a kill that led into a Queckboerner finish to tie at 4-4. The teams would go back and forth for eight rallies before Colby would extend their lead to 11-7. Kirchner distributed the ball effectively throughout the set, tallying multiple assists on kills from Richards, Queckboerner, and
Grace Gustafson who finished one to make the score 16-13 in favor of Colby. However, the Mules' offense began to click midway through, piecing together an extended 8–2 run. Despite late kills from
Lucy Pufundt and Queckboerner, Colby held on 25-16 to even the match at one set apiece.
The Vikings flipped an early 4-2 Colby lead behind a Gustafson kill, while Queckboerner added an ace and Gustafson teamed with Carbone for a block that briefly gave Augie a lead at 5–4. Colby responded with a dominant 10–3 stretch behind LJ Grant and Kendall Glover. Despite late kills from Gustafson and Queckboerner, Colby's offense closed the frame strong, taking the third 25–11 to move ahead 2–1 in the match.
The Vikings refused to back down, storming back in set four. After third set momentum carried Colby to early 4-0 lead, Carbone provided an early spark with back-to-back aces to make it 4-3. After Colby errors that tied the match at 6-6, a Richards kill made the score 8–9 before Carbone's two kills and Colby errors created an Augustana lead 13-11. After Colby tied at 13, Richards would continue a stellar night serving with two more aces while also adding a kill off a Kirchner assist in a 5-0 run. A kill from
Elle Jones and Rizzo ace would make the score 23-16, and after Colby responded with two points, Queckboerner would recapture momentum to make it set point 24-18. Another Colby error closed it out, as Augustana evened the match with a 25–18 victory to force a decisive fifth set.
In the decisive frame, Queckboerner and Jones combined for a block to open the scoring, and the Vikings traded points early as a kill Queckboerner and Colby error gave them the lead 3-2. A Udovich kill would keep Augustana in striking distance down 4-5, Colby regained momentum with a 5-2 run. Udovich and Richards each contributed kills down the stretch, but the Mules closed on a 7–2 run to take the set 15–8 and secure the match.
Augustana saw balanced contributions across the lineup in the five-set battle against Colby. Queckboerner powered the offense with a team-high 15 kills, adding a service ace, two block assists, and nine digs for a 17-point performance. Carbone followed with six kills, two aces, and three total blocks, while Gustafson added six kills on an efficient .417 hitting clip. Udovich chipped in seven kills and one block assist, and Richards filled the stat sheet with five kills, a match-high six aces, and three blocks. Kirchner paced the setting effort with 18 assists and five digs, while Rizzo added 17 assists, 12 digs, and an ace.
Katelyn Turley anchored with a team-best 14 digs, and Jones contributed a pair of blocks at the net. As a team, the Vikings finished with 41 kills, 11 aces, and 14 team blocks while pushing nationally ranked Colby to five sets.
Augustana volleyball continues their trip to Whitewater tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. taking on UW-Stout.
