SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The difficult stretch of schedule continued Friday night for the Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team as the Dragons were swept by No. 18 Augustana, 25-11, 25-19, 25-12 in action in Sioux Falls, S.D.

MSUM fell to 7-11 overall and 2-8 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference while Augustana improved to 15-5 overall and 6-4 in the league. Five of MSUM's last eight matches have come against teams ranked in the top 25, with two other teams receiving votes.

Junior libero Monica Vega led MSUM with 23 digs and a service ace. Freshman setter Ellie Hoyt had 10 set assists. Freshman hitter Sarah Petrbok had five kills. Senior hitter Tyann Caspers had three kills, as did sophomore Courtney Selbitschka, and freshmen Kylie Kanwischer Lauren Kiewiet. 

Sophomore Kaylyn Jenkins had four block assists while Caspers had three.

Augustana hit .282 for the match compared to .041 for the Dragons.

MSUM was within 12-8 in the first set but the Vikings closed the set on a 13-3 run to take a 25-11 win.  In the second set MSUM faced an 18-13 deficit but cut the lead to 19-17 on a Petrbok kill. The Vikings scored the next five points to build a 24-17 lead on their way to the 25-19 win. A Selbitschka kill brought MSUM within 9-5 in the third set but the Vikings scored five points in a row to take a 14-5 lead, on their way to a 25-12 win.

MSUM will play at No. 21 Wayne State on Saturday. The match begins at 1 p.m. in Wayne, Neb.