By: Peter Borkowski
Box Score
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - Five days after opening CCIW play with a win over North Park, Augustana College women's volleyball (6-7, 1-1) hosted Carthage College (12-5, 2-0) Wednesday night. A dominant set one by Carthage set the tone as the Vikings dropped the match, 3-0.
Inside the Box Score
How it Happened
First Set
After splitting the first four points of the match, Carthage rattled off a six-point run to take a commanding 8-2 lead and force Augie to use their first timeout of the set. Out of the timeout, the Vikings scored consecutive points to cut the deficit to four, and then the teams traded points until it was 10-6 in favor of the Firebirds.
Back-to-back scores from both squads kept the difference at four points until a service error and kill briefly made it a six-point advantage for Carthage, 15-9. A Firebird service error brought the deficit back to five for Augie, but a 3-0 spree from Carthage made it 18-10 and led to another Augustana timeout.
Carthage scored off of consecutive aces out of the break and added a kill as well to build an 11-point lead, 21-10. A 4-1 run by the Vikings gave them signs of life with the score at 22-14, but three straight Firebird scores ended set one in their favor, 25-14.
Second Set
Carthage appeared to carry over their momentum from set one, scoring three in a row to take an early 3-1 lead in set two, but consecutive errors from the Firebirds evened the set at 3-3. The Firebirds briefly took a 5-3 lead, but three straight points from Augie put them back in front, 6-5.
A trio of Firebird scores gave them a multi-point lead, 8-6, and the teams then swapped points until it was 10-9, Carthage. The Firebirds then finally acquired some breathing room thanks to a 5-0 run that made it 15-9 and led to a Vikings timeout.
The first two points following the timeout belonged to Augustana as they pulled back within three points, but Carthage scored twice in a row to bump their lead back up to five. A big swing then finally hit for the Vikings, who scored three times to cut Carthage's advantage down to two, 16-14, and cause a Firebird timeout.
While the Firebirds scored first after the break, a 4-1 Augie run soon tied the set at 18-18 and led to another Carthage timeout. A back-and-forth affair began out of the latter Carthage break, with consecutive points not being scored until the Firebirds did so to take a 23-21 lead. This caused the Vikings to use their second timeout of the set.
The Vikings pulled back within one after the timeout before Carthage scored to reach set point. A service error from Carthage prolonged set two, but one final kill won Carthage the set 25-23, giving the Firebirds a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
Third Set
Neither team found much breathing room to start set three, with ties happening at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5. From there, Augustana had the set's first big run, scoring three straight to take an 8-5 lead. A pair of Carthage scores brought the Firebirds back within one, but a Sommesi kill gave Augie a multi-point lead back.
After each team scored a point, the Firebirds charged ahead thanks to a massive 7-1 spree from Carthage. Their now 15-11 lead over Augie forced a Viking timeout. The Firebird onslaught continued after the timeout as they took three of the next four points to up their lead to six, 18-12, causing another Augustana timeout.
Two aces and a kill kept the Carthage momentum moving following the latest timeout, with their lead now at 21-12. Four straight points from Augie cut into the Carthage lead, making it 21-16, and after the Firebirds scored two out of three, a Carthage bad set and attack error brought the deficit down to four, 23-19. A service error from the Vikings then brought up set point for the Firebirds.
An Elle Jones kill kept Augustana's match hope alive, but a final kill by Carthage sealed the set for them, 25-20, as they completed the sweep of the Vikings.
Up Next
Another lengthy break awaits women's volleyball. In six days, they will return to action with a 7 p.m. home game against Wheaton on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
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.
