MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – After posting a pair of shutout wins on the opening day of the Cornell College Classic, the Nebraska Wesleyan volleyball team had the tables turned on them Saturday dropping a pair of 3-0 matches.  NWU was shutout 3-0 by Augustana College (Ill.) then closed the weekend with a 3-0 setback to the host school Cornell.
 
NWU is now 5-8 overall after going 2-2 over the weekend.
 
In the first match of the day the Prairie Wolves lost to the Vikings of Augustana in scores of 25-17, 25-22, 25-15.  The Vikings jumped ahead 7-0 in set one and that set the tone of the match as NWU was never able to recover.
 
As a team the Prairie Wolves hit .145 with 36 total kills.  Cora Svoboda had a team-high nine kills to go along with a .400 hitting percentage.  Kierra Herder chipped in eight kills with 13 digs.  Cassidy Plooster had 30 assists.
 
Against the host school, NWU dropped the match in scores of 25-21, 25-21, 25-16.  In the opening set, the Prairie Wolves were within two points at 22-20, but a service error and two Rams kills gave them the set.
 
Cornell got up 9-3 in the second set and never looked back as NWU could get no closer than three points.  The Rams scored six consecutive points in the third set to lead 14-5 then they cruised to the sweep.
 
Nicole Gonzales had a match-high 14 kills to lead the Prairie Wolves. Gonzales hit .364 with only two errors in the match.  Plooster handed out 30 assists again and Lizzie Saale had a team-high nine digs.
 
NWU has a week off before returning to American Rivers Conference play next Saturday when they host Wartburg College.