Box Score

North Park used the edge it gained over the first two weeks of the volleyball season Tuesday night against Augustana College, but it just wasn't enough for the Vikings as they lost to the visitors by scores of 22-25, 25-16, 21-25, 22-25 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin action.

The Vikings played Augustana tough in all four sets, and that couldn't have been more evident than in the second set. NP opened the set racing out to a 10-4 lead after a kill from freshman Hayley Brake and two Augie hitting errors. The Vikings then pushed their advantage to 14-6 on an Augustana blocked kill attempt that both Tara Spell and Karoline Siljander assisted on.

“We were in a groove in the second set and everything was clicking,” North Park head coach Tim Walenga said. “We played that way for most of the match, but just made a few mistakes that hurt us in a few areas.”

North Park finished out the second set scoring eight of the final 14 points after Augustana closed within 17-10. Brake threw down a monstrous kill off an assist from Jessica Holmes, and Augie committed a hitting error.

In the third set, the Vikings were able to stay even with Augustana nearly point for point after tying the game at 14-14 and later 21-21 on an Augie hitting error, but AC scored the final three points on a service ace, a kill and a hitting error.

Augie then controlled the tempo in the fourth set from the onset as they opened up a 13-8 advantage on a North Park hitting error, but the Vikings didn't quit as they came back to tie the score at 18-18 on three-straight serving points from Abigail McKowen. AC regrouped however and put up four of the next five points to pull ahead 22-19 on a kill and hitting error.  North Park was able to close within 23-20 on a kill from Sijiander, but Augie finished the set and the match scoring their final two points on a kill and an error.

Junior outside hitter Shelby Switzer led North Park's net attack with 12 kills and 20 digs for her fifth double-double of the season, while Tricia Ivanoff added 12 kills and three digs. Julia Bakken came up with a season-high 20 digs and McKowen (11) and Danielle Waldvogel (10) both finished with double-digit digs.

North Park (4-5, 0-1) returns to action Friday night when it travels to Aurora University for a 6 p.m. contest with the Spartans.