The Austin volleyball team went on a roller coaster ride that ended on a low note as it lost to Red Wing in five games by scores of 25-16, 25-27, 19-25, 25-13, 15-12 in Packer Gym Monday.

The Packers (4-20 overall, 2-8 Big Nine) had two opportunities to close out the match in game four and game five, but they fell behind big in each of them. The Wingers (11-16 overall, 4-6 Big Nine) started with a 11-4 lead in the fourth game and Red Wing led 10-4 to start the fifth and final game.

Austin pulled within 13-11 on a Jenna Braaten kill in the fifth game, but Red Wing closed out the match by scoring its final two points on a missed Austin serve and a Winger hit that went out of bounds, but was called a tip on the Packers.

Austin sophomore Erica Lundberg had eight kills and nine blocks and she said it was tough for the Packers to walk away with a loss. Lundberg had a key kill to put Austin up 26-25 in the second game.

“I feel like we were talking more and playing together, but we had some points where we were stuck in our heads,” Lundberg said. “We fixed our attitude in the fifth game and that’s how we came back.”

Red Wing led the third game 18-14 before Austin senior Lauryn Bell, who had 17 digs, served seven points to put the Packers in control, but Austin wasn’t able to keep that momentum going. The Packers were playing the game shorthanded as sophomore hitter Avery Thompson and senior setter Caitlin Kaercher were both out of the lineup.

“We played very well at times and then we let up,” Austin head coach Cindy Owen said. “We need to play consistently.”

Lundberg said the team wasn’t fazed by the injuries and some of the younger players were able to pick up the slack. Sophomore Kyra Walters had nine kills and five blocks.

“We were just focused on wining. That was our ultimate goal in the end,” Lundberg said. “We’re kind of a young team and we’ve been playing together for awhile. We play well together.”

The Packers will close out their regular season when they host Rochester John Marshall Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. and Austin will begin postseason play Oct. 25.

Austin stats: Jordyn McCormack, 2 kills, 2 blocks, 11 points serving, 8 digs; Lauryn Bell, 9 points serving, 17 digs; Kyra Walters, 9 kills, 5 blocks, 3 digs, 6 points serving; Lauryn Petersen, 4 kills, 4 points serving; Erica Lundberg, 8 kills, 9 blocks; Teddi Eisenberg, 5 kills, 2 blocks, 12 digs; Jenna Braaten, 4 kills, 3 digs, 6 blocks, 12 set assists; Ellie Tupy, 8 set assists, 5 digs; Lily Holtz, 4 digs, 3 blocks