Seniors Say Hello To MIAC Playoffs

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/28/15)—Concordia defending MIAC champion St. Thomas 25-19, 25-21, 25-22 to clinch and MIAC playoff spot and stay in the race for a home postseason match.

The Cobbers hit .209 against the Tommies in the final regular-season home match to record their third win in the last four matches. Concordia is now 7-3 in the MIAC and earns its 14th berth in the conference playoffs in the past 15 seasons.

The victory also knocks the Tommies out of the MIAC playoffs for the first time in the past 15 seasons. UST was the only school to have appeared in every single elimination conference tournament since the league went to the new format in 2000.

Concordia tailed for one point in each of the first and second sets and then twice in the third set. The Cobbers hit at least .140 in all three sets and set the tone for the match by hitting .342 in the opener. CC's defense tightened as the match went on, pushing the Tommie attack percentage down in each of the final two sets.

The Cobber front liners once again hosted a block party for the biggest crowd of the season. Playing in front of a fired up student section, Concordia had 9.0 total blocks for the three sets which marks the sixth straight match they have had at least 7.0 blocks. It is also the third straight match they have had at least 9.0 blocks.

Senior Kathleen Lippert starred at the net in her final regular-season home match. She had a match-high seven blocks. Lippert now has a career-high 76 blocks this year and 136 for her career at CC.

Heather Beaner and Lydia Hansen each had two blocks in the match to keep the Tommie attack unbalanced.

Olivia Wangensteen had a team-high 12 kills and posted a .387 attack percentage. It is the third time this year she has hit over .300. Wangensteen finished with16 digs to record her 10th double-double of the year. She has posted double-digit dig totals for four straight matches.

Anna Skow-Anderson was the only other player on CC who had more than six winners.  She had seven kills and recorded a match-high .400 attack percentage.

Mandy Mercil and Jena Klaphake combined for 37 assists on the night. Mercil had a team-high 22 assists to put up her 12th 20-plus helper match.

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will finish the regular season when they play at St. Benedict on Saturday, Oct, 31 at 3 p.m. A win against the Blazers will secure a home match in the quarterfinals of the upcoming conference playoffs.  

Concordia vs. St. Thomas Highlights