CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston volleyball team fell 3-0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-17) in their penultimate home game of the 2021 season at Gary Senske Court at Lysaker Gymnasium. The Golden Eagles battled back late in the third set and were down 23-21 late in the first set, but were unable to close it down at the end.

Minnesota Crookston falls to 1-21 (0-17 NSIC) with Friday night's loss. Augustana improved to 16-9 (11-6 NSIC) with the victory. UMN Crookston welcomed back their 2020 seniors on Friday night as they were unable to have a senior night last season due to the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. Minnesota Crookston honored Deaira Gresham, Sydney Kruisselbrink, and Katie Lienemann.
UMN Crookston hit .148 for the match with 27 kills and 14 errors. Lauren Wallace (R-Sr., OH, Bloomington, Minn.) had eight kills for the match with a .286 hitting percentage. Charlee Krieg (So., RS, Cavalier, N.D.) added five kills and hit .133, while Mara Weisensel (So., MH, New Ulm, Minn.) finished with five kills and hit .500 for the match. Natalie Koke (R-Jr., S, Caledonia, Wis.) had 20 assists for the match.

Defensively, Minnesota Crookston looked to Layne Whaley (Fr., DS/Lib., Ashland, Neb.) had eight digs, while Wallace finished with seven. UMN Crookston's block was guided by Koke and Weisensel with three block assists.

Augustana had 43 kills and 14 errors and hit .299 for the match. Kia Kriener led the way for the Vikings with 12 kills and a .364 hitting percentage. Kate Reimann added 11 kills and hit .368. Payton Rosendahl finished with five kills, as did Jolie Stecher and Piper Asche. Avery Thorson paced the Vikings with 36 assists.

Defensively, Augustana looked to 11 digs from Erika Bute. The block for Augustana was led by Stecher and Callie Hohenhaus each with two block assists.

In the first set, UMN Crookston went on a late 3-0 run to pull within 23-21 on a Koke service ace. Augustana took two of the final three points of the set paced by a Kriener kill to make it 25-22.

Minnesota Crookston was within 8-6 early on in the second set after an Asche attack error. Augustana went on a 10-2 run to move their advantage to 18-8 following a Rosendahl kill. The Vikings would use the positive momentum from the run to take a 25-12 win in set two.

The Golden Eagles fell behind 4-1 in set three after a kill from Kriener. UMN Crookston knotted the set back up at 6-6. Augustana was able to go on a 9-2 run to move their advantage to 15-8. The Golden Eagles closed to within 22-17 late in the set with a kill from Koke. However, the Vikings closed out the set to win 25-17 and take the match 3-0.

UMN Crookston will close out the 2021 home slate with Senior Day Saturday, November 6 at 1 p.m. against Wayne State College (Neb.). Minnesota Crookston will honor seniors Wallace and Bailey Mulcahy (Sr., DS, Fertile, Minn.) prior to the match Saturday.