So Close To A Playoff-Push Win

ST. PETER, Minn. (10/21/16)--- Concordia built a 2-0 at Gustavus, used an 8-4 run late in the third set to get to within a single point but then dropped four of the next six points and the final two sets to lose a heartbreaking 3-2 (23-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-14, 15-3) decision in St. Peter.

The Cobbers could never recover from the final points in the third set and lost for the fifth straight match. All five opponents during that streak have won at least 17 matches on the year and have won a combined 86 matches for the season.

Concordia misses a great opportunity to beat the second-place team in the MIAC and get closer to the Top 6 for the playoff race. The Cobbers are now 8-15 overall and 4-4 in conference play. CC is currently in seventh place just .5 games behind Bethel for the final playoff spot. Gustavus wins for the fourth time in the last five matches and moves 19-6 in all matches and 7-1 in the MIAC.

The difference in the first two sets which turned out to be Concordia wins and the last three sets at Gustavus came at the net on attack. The Cobbers hit .284 in the opening set and then a crisp .294 in the second to take a 2-0 lead.

The match went downhill from there as CC hit .085 in the third, .073 in the fourth and then minus-.100 in the fifth.

Concordia finished with a team attack percentage of .150 while Gustavus hit at least .150 in all five sets and finished by hitting .359 in the fourth and .308 in the fifth. The Gusties ended the match with a team attack percentage of .244.

Gustavus held a 77-48 advantage in kills for the match. Concordia had at least 10 kills in each of the first three sets but then managed only nine winners total in the final two sets.

Emily Friedrich, Brianna Carney and Emma Chandler all had double-digit kill totals for Concordia. Friedrich led the team with 19 winners while Carney added 14 and Chandler had 12. Friedrich also had 10 digs to record her fifth double-double of the year and second in the last three matches.

Both Friedrich and Carney had a team-high three blocks on the night.

Jena Klaphake came away with 47 assists to captain the Cobber offense. She also had a double-double for the match by recording 11 digs. It was her ninth double-double of the year.

Stephanie Baker and Mandy Mercil led the defense with dig totals in the 20's. Baker came away with 25 digs while Mercil recorded 22.

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will complete its conference road weekend doubleheader on Saturday, Oct. 22 when they play at Carleton at 11 a.m.