SIOUX FALLS, S.D.- The No. 5-ranked Southwest Minnesota State Volleyball team (19-3 overall, 11-3 NSIC) suffered a road loss at Augustana (16-6, 8-6) 25-23, 15-25, 14-25, 16-25 on Friday night inside the Elmen Center.
 
Meg Schmidt led the Mustangs with nine kills, while Halle Jansen and Saari Kuehl added eight and seven kills, respectively. Alisa Bengen finished with 31 assists and 11 digs, while McKenzie Tolk led the back-line with 16 digs. 
 
In a back and forth first set that would not contain a lead higher than two points, The Mustangs pulled away at the end, scoring three of the final four points to take a 1-0 advantage. Kuehl would collect six kills, including the set winner, while hitting .417, and Bengen delivered 14 assists to lead the offense to a .343 hitting percentage. 
 
SMSU held its final lead of the night to open set two, leading 1-0 following an Augustana service error. The Vikings controlled the second set, leading 6-2 early and leading by as many as 10 at 22-12. The difference for Augustana was at the net, out-blocking the Mustangs 6-1 and holding the Mustangs to a -.109 hitting percentage. 
 
 Augustana kept it rolling into set three, hitting .359 and never trailing en route to a 2-1 lead, and would dominate set four while outhitting the Mustangs .256-(-).023. 
 
Maddy Guetter led the way for the Vikings with a match-high 18 kills and adding 11 digs. 
 
The Mustangs return home on Saturday, hosting top ranked Wayne State at 2 p.m., inside the PE Gym.