Sioux Falls, S.D. -  The Minnesota State volleyball team fell (25-13, 28-26, 25-17) to #20 Augustana University in straight sets on Friday night.

With the loss, the Mavericks overall record falls to 15-10 overall and 9-8 in NSIC play.

In set one the Mavericks and Vikings were tied up at 5-5 before Augie went on a 5-1 run to give them a 10-6 lead over MSU. Through the rest of set, AU kept its momentum and extended the lead to a bigger margin of seven, 19-12, late in the set. The Vikings closed the first set on a 6-1 run on the Mavericks to give them a 25-13 set win.

In set one MSU posted just a .038 attack percentage, while AU recorded a .333 attack percentage. Juniors Sydney Geisness [St. Croix Falls, S.D.] and Lexi Platz [Lafayette, Minn.] each posted two kills in the set.

In the second frame of action it looked as though the Mavericks would win set two as they were leading 23-19 late in the set over the Vikings. However, AU would rally back and go on a 5-1 tun to tie the set up at 24-24. The set was still tied at 26-26 before Augie posted the next two points in the set to give them a 28-26 win and a two set advantage over the Mavericks.

The Mavericks improved on their attack percentage from the first set with a .282 attack percentage in the second set. Junior Krista Hassing posted a team-high four kills, while junior Courtney Anderson [Tripoli, Iowa] added three kills of her own.

In the third and final set the Vikings controlled from the start as they built an early 7-2 lead over the Mavericks. AU built its lead to as much as 16-5 over MSU and would eventually take the last set 25-17.

In set three, MSU was able to tally three total team blocks but posted just a 0.51 attack percentage in the final set.

Hassing paced the Maverick offense in the loss as she posted seven kills, while Platz finished with five kills and two total blocks. Geisness, Anderson and sophomore Vikolia Meade [Solon, Iowa] all ended the match with four kills apiece, while Meade also added two total blocks in the losing effort.

Senior Ellie Van De Steeg [Hutchinson, Minn.] finished with team-high 17 assists and added six digs, while freshman Autumn Risch [Howards Grove, Wis.] collected nine assists and three digs to her stat sheet. Junior Haley Fogarty [Belle Plaine, Minn.] tallied a team-high 14 digs in the loss.

MSU will return to action on Saturday as it will take on #3 Wayne State in Wayne, Neb. First serve is set for 4:00 p.m.