MINNEAPOLIS – The George Fox women's volleyball team traveled to Minnesota for the Auggie Classic tournament in Minneapolis, dropping both of their first two games of the competitively fielded tournament – the first against the host Augsburg Auggies, and the second against the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves – in five sets. 

How It Happened – Game One
The Bruins were sluggish in the first set, in which Augsburg jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead on the heels of several attack errors by Fox. GFU hung around for a large portion of the set – using a five-point run to bring them back within three points, 11-9; however, the Auggies ripped off a 14-4 run for the rest of the set that finished the first set unceremoniously at 25-13. 

Gracie Bearden had two early kills to give GFU a 3-2 lead, after which both teams went point-for-point until it was tied at six points apiece. Augsburg had a 5-1 stretch that put Fox down by five, 12-7, but the Bruins fought back and knotted up the game at 17 points. In that stretch was a key kill by Brenna Babcock that started a run for the Bruins (a run that fed off of five errors by the Auggies). As the two teams traded blows heading towards the end of the set, the Bruins took a late 25-24 lead, but three straight points including a service ace swung the set the way of the Auggies, putting the Bruins down two sets to none. 

The Bruins were in for another slugfest in the third set – this one would go six points over 25 as neither team could edge away – but with their backs against the wall, they found a way. Fox found themselves down 12-8 early on, but clung around until they eventually took the lead on a service ace by Brenna Babcock on the 19th point. Fox and the Auggies swapped points until the game was tied at 24 points apiece. 

Bearden had a clutch kill that gave the Bruins the edge, but the Auggies took it back two points later, after which both teams couldn't find a way to score consecutive points until the game was tied at 29. A service error gave Kenndy Kibby the serve, up one, 30-29, and she came through with a service ace to win the roller coaster set and keep the game alive for Fox. 

The Bruins would win the fourth set in a more dominating fashion, jumping out to a 7-2 lead early and never looking back. The Bruins at one point in the fourth set held an eight-point lead and closed out the set with a Taylor Dekoning kill to win, 25-19, and setting up a tie-breaker fifth set. 

The Bruins fell behind early in the first set, 5-4, as the Auggies slowly pulled away from GFU. Down by four, the Bruins had an untimely error that set up the Auggies with game point, which was a service ace that ended the game. The Bruins' valiant comeback fell just short, losing three games to two. 

How It Happened – Game Two
George Fox roared out of the gates in the first set of game two against NWU. The Bruins took an early 4-0 lead and cruised their way to a 10-2 lead. The Prairie Wolves wouldn't go away, however, and Fox saw their large lead slowly dwindle until the game was eventually tied at 15. NWU went on a 7-2 run just a few points later, leading the Bruins 23-18. Fox pulled within two points, as a Piper Hilgaertner service ace brought the score to 23-21. The Prairie Wolves responded with two quick points, however, and took the first set. 

The Bruins were aggressive in the second set, and it resulted in the Bruins racking up 16 kills to NWU's six. The two sides were neck-and-neck for the first few points before Fox started to slowly pull away, taking a 9-4 lead. NWU once again fought back to take a lead, 13-12, but this time it wouldn't break the Bruins as they stormed back and took the lead with a kill from Lexi Baer – the overall kill leader on the day for Fox. GFU dominated the backstretch, leading by as much as 22-16 before eventually taking set two with a final score of 25-19. 

The Bruins and Prairie Wolves swapped sets again in the third and fourth, as NWU dominated the third set while the Bruins struggled mightily, having more attack errors than kills in the frame. Nebraska Wesleyan would win the third set, 25-16. 

The fourth set was much closer, as neither team could separate from the other at a substantial level throughout, with ties at 9-9, 11-11, 12-12, 14-14, 16-16, and 19-19 heading into the final stretch. GFU reached 24 first, but couldn't finish the game, leading to a tie at 24 all. Bearden had a kill to put Fox in front, 25-24, before NWU tied it again. The Bruins took another lead, and this time it would stick as Jenna Knibbs finished off set number four with a kill to send the game to its fifth and final set – the Bruins' second fifth frame of the day.

The Bruins weren't able to find a rhythm in the fifth, as NWU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Fox would tie it at three points each, but NWU would go on another brutal run, this time taking their lead to 7-3. Fox wouldn't be able to recover, and never got past ten points in the final frame as the Prairie Wolves took the fifth set, and the game with it, 15-9. 

Top Performances
Sophomore Lexi Baer had 29 kills over the day's games, while also sporting a .317 hit percentage in game one and a .313 hit percentage in game two. Gracie Bearden had 24 kills, while Addison Coulter led the team in assists with 43. Piper Hilgaertner led the team with 65 digs.

Coach's Thoughts
"We played two really tough teams really strong today," Bruin head coach Emily Davis said, "We have work to do in the fifth set, but I'm so proud of all 18 players on this team, for responding well and having each others' backs. I switched people in different positions, and they played hard through it all. Our serve receive and work that Piper did in the back row really showed her leadership."

What It Means
The Bruins are now 2-4 on the season and 0-2 in the Auggie Classic. 

What Comes Next
George Fox finishes its Great Lakes trip with two games tomorrow, the first against Wisconsin-Eau Clarie at 8 AM, and the second against Wartburg at 10 AM.