DUBUQUE, Iowa - The 2026 season came to a close on Saturday for Augustana College women's volleyball (11-15, 2-6) as they participated in the Loras Triangular against Loras College (7-20, 0-7) and Grinnell College (11-13, 6-3). The Vikings ended the season in style, sweeping both Loras and Grinnell 3-0.
GAME ONE - AUGIE 3-0 LOR
Inside the Box Score
How it Happened
First Set
After splitting the first four points of the match, Augustana had three straight points to jump ahead, 5-2. A service error ended that run, but Augie then scored five more points in-a-row to build a 10-3 advantage. After swapping points back-and-forth, a 5-1 Viking run pushed their lead to double digits, 16-6. The Duhawks were not going anywhere though as they took seven of the next eight points to pull within three of Augustana, 17-14.
The score slowly worked to 20-17 before four straight Augie points brought them to set point, 24-17. An Augustana service error extended the set briefly, but an Elle Jones kill won Augie set one, 25-18.
Second Set
Set two was back-and-forth to begin. Augustana jumped out to a 5-2 lead before a pair of Duhawk points cut Augie's lead down to one. Two Augie scores reestablished their three-point advantage before Loras eventually clawed back within one, 9-8. The Vikings struck twice in-a-row and then the squads swapped points until it was 13-10 in favor of Augustana. Three straight scores from the Duhawks would tie the set at 13-all.
The Vikings scored to retake their lead, but another trio of Duhawk scores put them in front, 16-14. Augie moved back in front thanks to four consecutive scores, but that lead did not last long as a 4-1 Loras spree gave them a 20-19 lead. Augustana rattled off four consecutive points then to take a 23-20 advantage, and, following one more Duhawk score, Augie finished off the set with back-to-back points to win set two 25-21.
Third Set
It was all Augustana to start set three. The Duhawks did not score consecutive points until Augustana was already in front 15-6. After two Loras points, the teams traded points until Augie's lead stood at 18-10. The Duhawks made it a close contest again thanks to four points in-a-row, but a trio of Viking points bumped their lead back up to seven at 21-14. A 3-2 Augustana spree brought them to set point at 24-16. The Duhawks tacked on one final point before Mincheva grabbed a kill to finish off set three 25-17 in favor of the Vikings and clinching Augie's 3-0 sweep of Loras.
GAME TWO - AUGIE 3-0 GRI
Inside the Box Score
- Grace Lichthardt led Augie in kills this game with 13.
- Mincheva was the game-leader in assists with 17.
- Katelyn Turley had 11 digs to lead the Vikings.
How it Happened
First Set
After the teams worked up to a 3-3 tie, Augie rattled off four points consecutively to jump out to a 7-3 lead. Augustana then kept Grinnell from scoring back-to-back points until their lead was at 13-8. Grinnell would then score two in-a-row to pull within three but four Augie points gave them a seven-point lead at 17-10. That advantage shrunk to four thanks to a trio of Grinnell points, but a massive seven-point Viking run put them on top by 11, 24-13. Grinnell would stay alive after three straight points, but an attack error ended set one 25-16 in favor of Augustana.
Second Set
Augustana began set two with a huge 7-1 run before limiting Grinnell to single point swings until Augie's lead was 18-9. Grinnell finally picked up some momentum with a 6-1 run to make it 19-15, but Augustana scored four of the next points to set their advantage at 23-16. Grinnell picked up their momentum again, scoring three in-a-row twice around a Lichthardt kill to make it 24-22. But Alita Folkening closed the door on any comeback attempts with her set-sealing kill, which won Augie set two, 25-22.
Third Set
Set three was neck-and-neck to start as the opponents tied each other at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, and 4-4. However, Augustana was soon doubling up Grinnell 10-5 thanks to a 6-1 run. After another Grinnell score, six points in-a-row by the Vikings made it 16-6. Grinnell collected another three points before the teams swapped the next four points to set the score at 18-11.
Three Augie scores consecutively set their advantage at 10 again, and, after back-to-back Grinnell points, another trio of Viking points brought them to set point at 24-13. Grinnell tacked on one more point before committing an attack error to hand Augie a 25-14 set three win and 3-0 match win.
Follow the Vikings
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Augustana women's volleyball by following the team on Twitter at @augieathletics, on Facebook at Augustana Women's Volleyball, and on Instagram at @augie_wvb.
