Thanks to Virginia Smith for the picture

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – North Park University women's volleyball snapped a 19-year drought with a five-set win over Augustana College in Rock Island on Wednesday night. North Park had not earned a win over Augustana since the 2003 season and had not taken even two sets from them since 2011.

North Park took advantage of Augie's inconsistent attacking (-.154) in the opening set of the match, earning a 25-18 win. NPU went on a 9-to-2 run in the set, powering ahead to a 16-9 lead thanks kills by Taylor Guy and Brily Pence alongside a handful of Augie errors.

However, after taking the opening set, Augustana bounced back with 25-17 and 25-15 wins in the second and third set, respectively. 

In a do-or-die fourth set, North Park answered the bell in a big way. After maintaining a respectable two-point lead (11-9) halfway through the set, kills by Shamyia Collier, Pence, and Guy, a service ace by Katy Chess, and some more Augie attacking errors contributed to a 14-to-2 scoring stretch for NPU, forcing a fifth set.

North Park jumped out to an early 6-2 lead, featuring kills from Rhianna Huebner, Pence, and Collier, before Augustana made things interesting at 7-6. However, eight of the next 10 points belonged to the Vikings from Chicago, capped off by three-straight kills from Kharlie Simeona-French.

FINAL: North Park 3, Augustana 2

Quick Hits:

• North Park beats Augustana for the first time since 2003
• Four blocks for Guy, three for Collier
• Augustana with 41 errors, 38 kills (-.018 hitting percentage)
• Guy leads NPU with 11 kills in the win

What's Next?

North Park hosts Moody Bible this Friday, October 8, in a non-conference match. Tipoff, which will follow Senior Night festivities, is set for 7 p.m. inside the NPU Gym.