Season-Best Attack Mark Keeps Cobbers In Hunt

ST. PAUL, Minn. (10/29/14)—Concordia posted a season-best .380 attack percentage, trailed for only four points and cruised to a 25-13, 25-19, 25-11 win at Macalester. The victory keeps the Cobbers in the hunt for the final playoff spot in the upcoming MIAC playoffs.

Concordia is now 12-11 overall and an even .500 at 5-5 in league play. They are currently tied for the sixth, and final, spot for the MIAC playoffs. Unfortunately the Cobbers are tied with Gustavus for the final postseason position, and by virtue of the league's No.1 tie-breaking procedure, CC will have to beat St. Ben's and have the Gusties lose at St. Mary's on the final day of the regular season on Saturday in order to secure their 14th consecutive conference playoff berth.

The Cobbers jumped on the Scots from the opening serve in the first set. CC bolted to a 4-0 lead in the opener, never trailed, went on to hit .324 and wound up winning 25-13.

The second set was the closest as Macalester tried to get back into the match. The Scots led briefly at 2-0 and then again at 4-3 and 5-4 before Concordia went on a 6-0 run to stop the comeback attempt and cement the victory. The Cobbers never trailed after 6-5 and used a 9-4 run to finish off the middle set.

The third set was all Concordia. The Cobbers won 16 of the first 17 points to take a 16-1 lead. That is the largest run to start a set this season. CC would cool off a bit at the end but still wound up winning by 14 points and hit an eye-popping .560 for the set. Concordia had 14 kills in 25 chances and did not commit and error in the final set.            

The Cobbers hit at least. 310 in all three sets. They finished with 48 kills which is the most for a 3-set match all season. The 48 kills was also double Macalester's total. The CC defense limited the Scots to a .078 attack percentage for the match and only gave up 20 kills. The 20 kills allowed by the Cobbers are the fewest all season and least since the fourth match of 2013 when they swept Northland 3-0 and only conceded 13 winners.

Concordia had 11 players with at least one kill in the match and had six players record at least four winners. Senior Kynndyl Ross led all players with nine kills and hit .500 on 16 attack attempts. Kelly Reed had a team-high 20 chances and finished with seven kills. She also posted a career-high four service aces. Olivia Wangensteen and Heather Beaner also had seven kills. Beaner posted a match-high .778 attack percentage.

The Cobbers also had 17 more digs in the match and were led by senior Alyssa Schmidt. Schmidt had 16 digs. Mandy Mercil came away with a match-high 26 assists.

Concordia will now face its third straight elimination match when they host St. Benedict on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 3 p.m. A Cobber win coupled with a Gustavus loss at St. Mary's will send CC to the postseason.