A Total Team Upset

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (9/23/15)—There's no "m" in upset but there is in team and it took a total team effort to pull off a 3-0 upset over No.19-ranked Augsburg.

The Cobbers had 10 players make significant contributions on the stat sheet as they rolled over the nationally-ranked Auggies 25-17, 25-22, 25-19. Concordia hands Augsburg its first loss in the last nine matches and ends a 17-match regular-season home win streak that dates back to the 2013 season.

Concordia remains unbeaten in the MIAC this season and moves to 2-0 in conference play. The Cobbers are now 8-3 overall. Augsburg falls to 1-1 in conference play and 11-3 in all matches.

The Cobbers took control of the match after the score was tied 7-7 in the opening set. CC won the next five points and then grabbed 11 of the next 15 points en route to a 25-17 win.

Concordia would use the same formula in the next two sets. CC would trade points with the Auggies for the first 16 points and then go on a decisive run to grab control of the set. The Cobbers were tied at 8-8 in the second, won four straight points and held on for a 25-22 win. In the third set Concordia went on an 11-4 run after the set was tied at 8-8 and won 25-19.

The Cobbers didn't have a single player with double-digit kill total but had five players with at least five kills and nine players register at least one winner. CC also had three players post 10 or more digs and had eight players help the defense with at least one dig. To string out the total team effort even farther - Concordia had five players help out the defense with blocks and four players with service aces and four players with assists.          

Heather Beaner was the top Cobber at the net. She hammered attack chances all night long and came away with nine kills. She hit .500 for the three sets and also added a dig and two blocks.

Fellow senior Olivia Wangensteen had eight winners and came away with 10 digs and two service aces.

Freshman Emily Friedrich has given the Cobbers a big lift in the past couple of matches. She finished with six kills and has now had 17 winners in the past two matches after only having seven in the team's first nine contests.  

Mandy Mercil led the Cobber offense with 19 assists. Mercil's serve game was on point as she had four services aces and now has 18 for the season. She is tied for fifth in the MIAC in service winners.

Jena Klaphake had 15 assists to go along with nine digs, one kill and one service ace.

Concordia hit .269 for the three sets and held the Auggies to a .140 attack percentage.

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will look to keep its unbeaten conference record when they host Hamline on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 3 p.m.