MIAC Champions!

MIAC Champions!

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (10/29/11)—One streak ended, another continued and the first season goal was achieved as No.9-ranked Concordia beat St. Ben’s 3-2 (23-25,25-12,21-25,25-20,15-7) in St. Joseph on Saturday.

The win gives the Cobbers a share of their first MIAC regular-season championship since 2006. It is the second overall regular-season title in school history. Concordia also earns the No.1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. CC tied St. Thomas for the title but swept the Tommies in conference play which gives them the home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

The victory over the Blazers on Saturday was the first non-sweep conference win of the year for Concordia. The Cobbers finish the regular season with a record of 22-3 in all matches and a 10-1 mark in league play. The 10 MIAC wins is the second most in program history.

St. Ben’s (17-11/8-3 MIAC) won the first set of the match 25-23 which ended the Cobbers’ consecutive set winning streak at 30. Concordia put the streak-ending loss in the rear-view mirror as they won nine of the first 12 points in the second and went on to a commanding 25-12 win.

“The key for us the entire match was our intensity and determination,” commented head coach Tim Mosser. “Even we fell behind we never stopped playing with a high level of energy.”

The momentum of the match turned again midway through the third set. With Concordia leading 15-9, the Blazers won six straight points and tied the score at 15-15. The teams then traded points until 20-20 when CSB won four straight and finished off the set by winning five of the final six points.

The Cobbers finally grabbed firm control of the match, and the MIAC title, midway through the fourth set. Leading 14-12, Concordia went on one of their patented mid-set runs and ran off five straight points. They would never let the Blazers get to within three points and won 25-20. The energy carried into the fifth, and final, set as CC bolted to a 5-1 lead. CSB rallied and got as close as two points at 8-6 but then Concordia claimed the match by winning seven of the final eight points.

Concordia hit .235 for the match which included a .500 mark in the second set and a .389 clip when the match was on the line in the fifth set. The Cobber defense limited St. Ben’s to a .115 attack percentage for the match.

Jenna Green came away with a match-high 22 kills for the Cobbers. She also had 14 digs. Katie Vohnoutka added 12 kills and three blocks. Ashley Beseman once again provided clutch points in a big match. She tied a career high with six blocks and added four kills. Amy Sykora had a match-high 45 assists. It is the sixth time this season she has had at least 40 helpers in a single match.

“Our seniors were unbelievable today,” remarked Mosser. They had a will to win that pulled the entire team to the victory.”

Defensive specialist Rachel Wiinanen came away with a match-high 23 digs, only the second time in her career that she has had more than 20 digs in a match. Freshman Kelly Reed had five blocks and eight kills and Danelle Loomis came away with 14 digs.

St. Ben’s had three players with more than 10 kills in the match and was led by Chelsie Sobieck who had a team-high 19 winners to go along with 16 assists. Chelsea Rachel had 21 digs and Taya Kockelman added 43 assists.

Concordia will now await the winner of the first-round playoff match-up between St. Ben’s and Gustavus. The Cobbers will host the semifinal match on Thursday at 7 p.m.