Minnesota Duluth won the first set of a pivotal Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference volleyball matchup on the road, but was second-best in the next three sets of a 3-1 (24-26, 25-18, 25-21, 25-18) defeat at the hands of the host Augustana Vikings in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Friday.
The loss ensures UMD (18-10, 10-9 NSIC) cannot make the league's top eight and the NSIC tournament.
In set one, UMD trailed 23-20 and staved off a set point on Grace Daak's kill, then took the lead on a Grace Post kill and won it on Cianna Selbitschka's service ace. In the second, UMD gave up a run of five points late to 24-17 but saved only the first of a possible six set points.
UMD led 20-16 in the third set but lost the last seven points to fall behind two sets to one and in the fourth, Augie held leads of 12-4 and 20-10, letting UMD close only to within five.
Daak paced the UMD offense with 14 kills. Kate Berg added nine and Post eight. Maddi Kealy had a team-best 24 assists; Madison Gordon added 21. Sydney Lanoue led the defense with 19 digs; Selbitschka added 18 and Berg 13.
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Payton Rosendahl had 14 kills for Augustana (18-9, 13-6).
UMD concludes its season at No. 15 Wayne State on Saturday.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
UMD opens regular season with win
Four players scored in double figures as Minnesota Duluth men's basketball knocked off Nebraska-Kearney 77-64 in its season opener on Friday at Romano Gym.
UMD led for much of the first half before giving up a 10-0 run to give the Lopers a brief lead. The Bulldogs pulled ahead 34-29 at halftime and offered no more second chances, steadily keeping their advantage in the teens for most of the second period, shooting better than 50 percent (16-for-31) from the field.
UMD overcame a 25-point night from UNK's David Simental. Joshua Brown made four triples in an 18-point game to lead the Bulldogs, while Drew Blair had 17 points and Austin Andrews posted a double-double of 14 points and 11 boards.
Charlie Katona added 10 for UMD, which will play East Central University on Saturday to complete the American Family Insurance Classic.
