Strong Finish Earns 5-Set Win

MORRIS, Minn. (9/23/16)---On Wednesday it was the starts that cost Concordia. On Friday at Minn.-Morris it was the finishes that helped the Cobbers post a dramatic 3-2 (18-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 15-13).

Concordia won the final three points of the fifth set to snap a five-match losing streak and move their overall record to 4-8 on the year. Morris has their two-match win streak come to an end and is now 5-9.

Perhaps the biggest moment of the match came late in the second set. The Cobbers dropped the opening set and were struggling to gain some momentum. The set went back-and-forth until it reached 17-17. CC then won the next two points and eight of the final 12 to even the match and regain their confidence from earlier in the season.

Morris grabbed the third set before the Cobbers returned the favor in the fourth. The teams were tied after four points in the fifth set but then Concordia went on an 8-5 run to grab a 10-7 lead. It looked like the Cobbers would cruise home for the win but then the Cougars rattled off three straight points to being the match even at 10-10. That's when the Cobber end game took over and they won the final three points to win 15-13.

Concordia hit .146 for the game and came up with 56 kills. Morris finished at .161 and had 61 winners.

Emily Friedrich led the Cobbers at the offense. She finished with 18 kills and hit .241. Sophomore Haley Cuppett came up with a career-high 17 kills in the match.

A trio of Cobbers had at least 20 digs in the match. Stephanie Bake had a team-high 22 digs while Mandy Mercil and Betsy Asp added 21 each.

Senior Jena Klaphake was the captain of the CC defense and recorded 43 assists. It marked the third match this season she has put up at least 40 helpers in a match.

WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will stay on the road and head to St. Paul where they will face conference foe Hamline on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 3 p.m.