BETTENDORF, Iowa -- The Augustana Vikings men's volleyball team fended off the Wittenberg Tigers on Saturday in five sets, winning the match with set scores of 25-22,18-25, 25-21, 25-27, and 15-7.
In the first set, Augie secured the early lead after back-to-back kills from Cole Clarke. A four-point run from Augie later snatched a 12-7 lead after a kill and three consecutive service aces by Tom Lamb. The Vikings got up by as many as seven following a solo block from Lamb to make an 18-11 score. Wittenberg charged back to get within two, but a service error by the Tigers secured the first set for the Vikings 25-22. The Tigers collected a seven-point win in the second set to even the match at one win apiece.
In another close set, Wittenberg obtained the early lead in the third after a 7-2 run before four consecutive points put Augie within one after kills by Clarke and Sean Carlson. A block by Lamb and Clarke evened the score at 8-8 and both teams drew even four additional times. Back-to-back attacks from Zach Moreano and Carlson moved Augie out to a two-point lead at 14-12 and moments later secured their largest lead of the frame with a kill by Lamb to move the score to 22-16. Clarke closed the set with a kill from Colin Schaefer to clinch the third set 25-21. Wittenberg and Augie played an even fourth game, resulting in a 20-20 deadlock before the Vikings saw match point at 24-22. The Tigers rattled off three points in a row to extend the set and eventually won with a score of 27-25 to force a fifth.
The two teams traded rally wins to begin the fifth before four straight scores by Augie gave them the early advantage. Witternberg hung around and got within two at 6-4 and again at 7-5, but the Vikings pulled away after six straight points went in their favor. Two straight service errors for the visitors accounted for the final two points to complete the win for Augustana.
Carlson led the team with 15 kills, while Clarke and Moreano collected 14 apiece. Schaefer secured a new single-match school record with 57 assists, while Clarke and Max Sellers obtained 11 digs each.
With the win, Augie moves to 6-3 on the season and returns to action tomorrow on the road against Rockford at 12 p.m.
