Sophomore setter Ava Jones recorded her 1,000th career assist as the No. 16 University of Minnesota Duluth Volleyball Team (11-1, 4-1 NSIC) edged out Augustana 3-2 (25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 20-25, 15-13) in a five-set thriller on the road at the Elmen Center on Saturday evening. Jones reached the milestone with her first assist of the match and would go on to tally a double-double with 54 assists and a career-high 18 digs, while adding three block assists and two kills.
 
Most of those assists were setting up junior Madeline Guetzkow, who led all players with a career-best 25 kills and added 11 digs for her sixth double-double of the year. The right side hitter also had three blocks, three assists and two service aces.
 
Senior Kylie Broten had 12 kills, freshman Mollie Ruppe had 10 kills and 16 digs for her second-straight double-double and sophomore Xada Johnson contributed nine kills and 14 digs. Junior Madison Reed had a match-high 19 digs and dished out a career-best six assists.
 
The Bulldogs held a slight edge over the Vikings (8-5, 2-3 NSIC) in hitting percentage, .212-.197 and held the advantage in kills (66-59), digs (83-72) and points (82.0-77.0).
 
After taking the first two sets 25-19 and 25-20, UMD saw Augustana rally to win the next two sets, 25-21 and 25-20. The decisive fifth set saw the Bulldogs prevail 15-13 thanks to an impressive .435 hitting percentage in the final frame.
 
UMD opened the fifth set by overcoming an early two-point deficit, as Elyse Karrels and Guetzkow delivered key kills to draw even with Augustana at 2-2. The Bulldogs then captured the momentum with a series of scoring plays highlighted by consecutive kills from Johnson that extended their lead to 6-3. The Vikings rallied to take a one-point lead 12-11 thanks to a 9-6 run, but the visitors responded with kills from Guetzkow, Rupp and Johnson to secure the league road win.
 
The Bulldogs return home to face the University of Mary Friday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. and Minot State Saturday, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. at Romano Gymnasium.