ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The Hamline University women's volleyball team (2-5, 0-0 MIAC) had a successful Friday evening at the Augustana Tournament, defeating MSOE 3-1 (22-25, 25-6, 25-19, 28-26), and edging Illinois Tech 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 25-12, 23-25, 15-8.). The victories give Hamline consecutive wins for the first time since 2021.

The Pipers improve to 3-5. MSOE falls to 1-7, while Illinois Tech drops to 1-5.

Hamline 3, MSOE 1 (22-25, 25-6, 25-19, 28-26)

In the first match against MSOE, Hamline faced a tightly contested first set, ultimately losing 25-22 despite a strong serving performance from Cameryn Sand, who delivered four consecutive service aces. The Pipers struggled with attack errors, committing five in the set, while the Raiders capitalized on Hamline's service errors. However, the Pipers rebounded magnificently in the second set, dominating with a 25-6 victory, highlighted by Mandy Dierks' seven-consecutive service aces and Sand's three aces and multiple assists. Dierks finished with a school-record nine aces. The previous record of eight was accomplished three times, the most recent was Heidi Larsen's performance against North Central (Minn.) on October 25, 2010. 

Hamline continued their momentum in the third set, finishing with a 25-19 win. Claire Kaups was instrumental, delivering three service aces during a decisive run, while key contributions came from Sand in assists and kills from Lexi Helmin and Sophia Johnson. The fourth set was a nail-biter as Hamline edged out MSOE 28-26, overcoming a 24-23 deficit with pivotal kills from Grace Bathurst and Kayli Starkey, sealing the win amid late errors from the Raiders.

Hamline 3, Illinois Tech 2 (26-24, 23-25, 25-12, 23-25, 15-8.)

In the second match against Illinois Tech, Hamline secured a narrow 26-24 win in the first set. Cameryn Sand contributed significantly with assists and an early service ace, helping the Pipers capitalize on the Scarlet Hawks' errors. However, the second set proved challenging as Illinois Tech edged Hamline 25-23, despite service aces from Dierks and Starkey and key kills from Kaups.

Hamline rebounded strongly in the third set, dominating with a 25-12 victory. Lexi Helmin led the charge with multiple kills and a pivotal block, while Sand facilitated the offense, culminating in a final point by Grace Bathurst. The fourth set was fiercely contested but ended with a 25-23 loss for Hamline, as the Pipers struggled with errors despite a late comeback that leveled the score at 19-19.

In the decisive fifth set, Hamline clinched the match with a 15-8 victory, benefiting from Illinois Tech's errors, including five attack errors. Kaups and Dierks led with key plays, while Sand contributed with crucial assists and a service ace to end the match.

Dierks had an outstanding performance across both matches, leading the Pipers with a school-record nine service aces against MSOE and recording 17 digs against Illinois Tech. Sand tallied 25 assists and seven service aces in the first match, while contributing 22 assists and three service aces in the second match. Bathurst showcased her efficiency, posting eight kills with a .467 hitting percentage against MSOE and six kills with a .294 hitting percentage against Illinois Tech. Helmin also excelled, recording ten kills and a .381 hitting percentage against MSOE, and contributing multiple kills in the matches.

The Raiders' standout performances featured Maddie Abel, who led the team with four service aces, while Ana Knutson achieved a .421 hitting percentage with nine kills. For Illinois Tech, Victoria Aspurez made a significant impact with 9 kills and a .364 hitting percentage, while Brooke Rifkin led defensively with 14 digs and two aces.

The Pipers will face Augustana (Ill.) on day two of the tournament tomorrow, Saturday, September 14 at 11 a.m.