Box Score

CHICAGO - Conference play began Friday night for Augustana College women's volleyball (5-7, 1-0) as they traveled to Chicago to face North Park University (5-7, 0-1). In what turned into a five-set thriller, Augie came back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat North Park, 3-2. 

 

Inside the Box Score

• Grace Lichthardt led all players in kills with 13. 
• Niya Mincheva was the main distributor for the Vikings, dishing out 21 assists. 
• Sophia Sommesi was huge on defense for Augustana, compiling a team-high 23 digs as well as three total blocks. 

 

How it Happened

 

First Set

While the beginning of the match was close, with the teams working up to a 5-5 tie, a 4-0 run by Augie eventually put them up 9-5. NPU was able to come back within two, but five straight Augustana kills and three North Park errors soon ballooned Augie's lead to 17-7. North Park ended the bleeding with a kill, but then allowed a 5-2 run by Augie to set the difference at 12 points, 22-10. 

 

A 6-2 NPU spree gave the home squad some signs of life, but a service error handed Augustana point 25 and set one, 25-16. 

 

Second Set

Set two was close until it was 4-3 NPU. From there, the home team used four straight points to go ahead, 8-3. Each team then scored consecutive points before trading points until it was 12-7, NPU. Their 12th point kicked off a four-point run that bolstered North Park's lead to eight, 15-7.

 

An Elle Jones kill ended that NPU run, but another pair of North Park points increased their lead to nine, 17-8. Three straight scores from Augie brought them back within striking distance, but the teams split the next four points to keep NPU's lead at six. After a North Park timeout, Augustana pulled within five thanks to a NPU attack error, but another set of points set North Park's lead at seven, 21-14. 

 

Needing a big run, Augie scored five of the next six points to shrink the deficit to three, 22-19, and force another NPU timeout. Out of the break, another Augustana kill made it 22-20. A North Park kill prolonged their lead, but back-to-back points for Augie made it just a one-point game. However, an Augie attack error gave NPU set point and control of the serve, which they eventually converted into the set-winning kill as they clinched set two 25-22 and evened the match at 1-1. 

 

Third Set

This time, one team jumped out to an early, large lead in a set as North Park took a commanding 9-3 lead out of the gate. After an Augustana timeout, the teams swapped scores until it was 11-5. From there, a 6-1 Augie spree brought the visitors within one of NPU, 12-11, leading to a North Park timeout. 

 

NPU scored three of the first four points out of the break to pad their lead, but three straight points from Augie soon tied the game 15-15 and made set three a first-to-10 contest. Four consecutive points by NPU put them in front, 19-15, but Augie responded with four of their own points to create another tie at 19-19.

 

Three straight NPU points put the score at 22-19 until Augustana crawled back within a point, 23-22. However, a kill and attack error sealed the 25-22 set win for NPU, putting them in front in the match, 2-1. 

 

Fourth Set

Facing defeat, Augie used an early 7-1 run to take an 8-3 lead to open set four. NPU got within three, 9-6, before a 5-1 run upped Augustana's lead to seven, 14-7. NPU finally got their first big run of the set with an 8-1 spree, including six straight points, to force another 15-15 tie. After Augustana briefly retook the lead, back-to-back NPU points gave them the lead, 17-16. 

 

Ties were had at 17-17, 18-18, and 19-19, before consecutive NPU points put them in ahead, 21-19 and led to an Augie timeout. That timeout proved incredibly productive for Augustana, who rattled off six-straight points after the break to take set four 25-21 and send the match to a decisive set five. 

 

Set Five

Neither team separated themselves to begin set five, tying each other at 2-2, 3-3, 5-5, and 7-7. A Carmela Carbone kill put Augie in front 8-7 and began a 4-0 run to put Augustana four points away from victory. NPU cut into the deficit with a kill, but another four-straight Augie points made it 15-8, winning Augustana set five and the match, 3-2. 

 

Up Next

After four days off, women's volleyball will  return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 30, when Carthage visits Rock Island, Illinois, for a 7 p.m. match. 

 

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.