ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst volleyball team's 2019 season came to a close with a five-set loss to Augustana College in the first round of the CCIW Tournament.
 
Elmhurst (10-22) dropped the match 25-20, 22-25, 25-27, 25-23, 7-15. Augustana (13-18) advanced to the CCIW Tournament semifinals with the victory.
 
Elmhurst started quickly, taking the opening set 25-20. With the score even at 10-10, the Bluejays used a 5-1 run to open up a 15-11 lead. Elmhurst never trailed for the remainder of the set, leading by as many as six points before closing out the set on a Kayla Mast kill.
 
Augustana grabbed an early lead in the second only to see Elmhurst answer back and open up a 15-11 advantage. The Bluejays led 19-16 before Augustana charged back. The Vikings used a 5-1 run to move in front 21-20. Elmhurst pulled even at 22-22, but the Vikings won the final three points to take the set and even up the match.
 
The Vikings jumped out to a quick six-point cushion in the third, leading 15-9. Trailing 19-16, the Bluejays rattled off five straight points behind Katie Brown's serve to pull in front at 21-20. Elmhurst had a chance to put the set away at 24-23 and again at 25-24, but the Vikings fought off both set points before winning the final two points to take the set 27-25.

Elmhurst jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth set and never trailed for the remainder of the set. Augustana pulled even multiple times, including at 17-17, but the Bluejays won the next three points to open up a 20-17 advantage. The Vikings pulled to within two points at 23-21 and fought off a pair of set points from the Bluejays, but an Emily Duis kill gave the Bluejays the set and event the match at two sets apiece.
 
Elmhurst jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the fifth, but Augustana took over, rattling off a 5-1 run to move in front 6-4. The Vikings led 8-6 at the side change and won the next five points to open up a commanding 13-6 lead before putting the match away at 15-7.
 
Elmhurst hit .195 for the match with 69 kills and 26 errors in 220 attempts. Bailey Brouwer had a career night for the Bluejays, pounding down 22 kills in the loss. Payton Froats added 11 kills while Duis finished with 10 kills and a team-high five blocks. Taylor Zurliene added nine kills and 13 digs while Kayla Mast finished with eight kills and 19 digs. Emily Finkbeiner tallied a team-leading 30 assists to go along with 19 digs. while Hannah Horn finished with 25. Valerie Thomas led the Bluejays in digs with 29.
 
Augustana finished the contest hitting .221 with 65 kills and 21 errors in 221 swings. Grace Bialobok led the Vikings with 19 kills while Brooke Harmon added 13. Laura Heuermann finished with 12 kills and Ja'nya Davis tallied 10. Olivia Doak totaled a match-high 56 assists while Jessica Nguyen posted a match-high 40 digs.