The No. 17 University of Minnesota Duluth volleyball team was swept on the road at Augustana, 20-25, 19-25, 21-25, Friday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) action at the Elmen Center. The loss was the third-straight for the Bulldogs and dropped its record to 16-4 on the season and 9-3 in league play, while the Vikings improved to 12-8 overall and 6-6 in conference play.
Xada Johnson led the Maroon and Gold with nine kills, with
Madeline Guetzkow and
Kenzie Kiminski contributing seven kills apiece.
Ava Jones distributed 27 assists and added 10 digs for her fifth double-double of the season.
Defensively,
Elyse Karrels had a team-best three block assists and
Brietta Tims had two block assists, while
Madison Reed posted 13 digs.
The Bulldogs held the advantage over the Vikings in kills (33-30) and assists (33-29), but trailed the home team in hitting percentage (.027-.165), service aces (1-5), digs (46-47) and total team blocks (4-8).
After being tied 3-3 to start the opening frame, the Vikings pulled ahead 8-3 following a 5-0 run that included five errors by the Bulldogs. A kill from Kiminski, a pair of errors from Augustana and a service ace from Jones pulled UMD back within one, 9-8. An 8-2 run from the Vikings put the visitors behind 17-10 and forced the Bulldogs to take a timeout. They were able to pull within four points two more times in the set, but a kill from Sydney Tims closed out the set for the home team.
Guetzkow had four kills and Karrels had three of her four total kills in the first set. Reed also collected seven digs in the stanza.
UMD fell behind 10-3 early in the second set and was not able to recover, as Augustana led the entire frame. It pulled within four points late, 22-18, following a kill from Johnson and an error from the Vikings, but a 3-1 run ended the Maroon and Gold comeback run. Johnson and Kiminski each had four kills in the second set, while Jones had six digs and eight assists.
The Bulldogs led through the first 13 points of the third set, but three-straight errors gave the lead to the home team, 8-7. UMD would tie the match up five more times, including at 21-21, but a 4-0 run by Augustana ended the set and the match. Johnson had five kills in the final set, with Karrels adding three blocks and Tims adding two blocks and two kills.
UMD is back in action Saturday when it takes on No. 2 Wayne State at 1 p.m. at Rice Arena.
