MATCH BOXSCORE

MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Despite a valiant comeback effort and 16 kills from Katie Christensen (SR, North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS), the Augsburg College volleyball team dropped a five-set match to Concordia College-Moorhead in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match on Wednesday evening.

The match marked Augsburg's (15-14, 5-6 MIAC) final conference contest of the season. The Auggie loss, coupled with St. Catherine's five-set win against St. Mary's on Wednesday, means Augsburg has been eliminated from contention for the six-team MIAC postseason playoffs. 

With the win, Concordia (22-5, 8-2 MIAC), ranked No. 18 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III national poll, secured the No. 3 seed in next week's MIAC postseason tournament.

Against the Cobbers, Augsburg fell behind early, losing the first two sets of the match. The Auggies fell behind again in the third set, but rallied from a 19-21 deficit to push the match to a fourth set. With the score tied at 13-13 midway through the fourth set, Augsburg went on a 12-3 scoring run to close the game and force a fifth set. The Auggies would get no closer, however, as the Cobbers went on to win the final set 15-4.

In addition to Christensen's 16 kills, Colleen Ourada (FY, Omaha, Neb./Mercy HS) added 11 kills, 20 digs and three blocks (one solo) in the match. Nikolene Miller (SO, Tomahawk, Wis.) added nine kills and six blocks (two solo), while Jamila Lee (SO, Richfield, Minn.) contributed seven kills to the Augsburg offensive attack.

Setter Emily McCourt (FY, Sun Prairie, Wis.) recorded 42 assists in the loss, while defensive specialist Katelyn Berens (FY, Jordan, Minn./Prior Lake HS) recorded a team-high 23 digs in the match. Jessica Hilk (SR, Waconia, Minn./Mayer Lutheran HS) had 22 digs.

Katie Vohnoutka led the Cobbers with 17 kills, 11 digs and three blocks. Jenna Green had 11 kills and 22 digs, and Ashley Beseman had six blocks (two solo). Amy Sykora had 25 assists, 11 digs and four service aces, and Danelle Loomis had 19 assists.

Augsburg's final contest of the season will be Saturday (10/30) at 3 p.m. at Northwestern-Roseville.