3-Set Consistency Leads To Win

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/26/19)---Concordia was finally able to put three consistent sets together in a match and rallied to beat Gustavus 14-25, 30-28, 25-20, 25-22.

The win snaps a 5-match losing skid for the Cobbers. Concordia is now 6-17 in all matches and 3-5 in the MIAC and only a game out of the sixth, and final, playoff spot in the league standings. Gustavus has their 2-match win streak come to an end and is now 12-13 overall and 5-3 in the MIAC. They are currently tied for fourth in the conference standings.

The outcome of the match looked like it would be completely different for the Cobbers after the first set where they lost 25-14 and allowed Gustavus to hit an impressive .636.

Concordia righted the ship by hitting .500 in the second set and slowing down the Gusties attack at the net.

The key point of the entire match came late in the second set. Concordia led 23-21 and looked they would be able to ease their way into tying the match at 1-1. Unfortunately for the Cobbers they fell into their old habit of giving up point streaks and fell behind 24-23. CC then staved off three straight set points – which would have put them in a 2-0 hole and probably cost them the match – and found an extra amount of determination to tie the score at 27-26. Gustavus then saved two set points to push the score to 28-28 before a kill from sophomore Anna Brakke and a Gustie attack error gave Concordia the 30-28 win and pushed the entire flow of momentum to the Cobbers' side of the court.

Concordia, only trailed 1-0 in the third set and hit .435 to take the 25-20 win. The Cobbers then finished off the match by breaking open a 9-9 tie by winning three straight points and hung on for the 25-22 victory.

The Cobbers hit .367 for the match as compared to .396 for the Gusties. Concordia had 49 kills while Gustavus was able to put down 65 winners.

The .367 hitting percentage for Concordia is a season best and the top mark since the middle of last season when they hit .425 against Macalester.

Concordia had a pair of players with double-digit kill totals. Brianna Carney had a team-best 11 winners and also added three blocks while Brakke put down 10 kills and had four digs.

Junior Lexi Turn reached a career milestone during the first set. She entered the match with 999 collegiate assists and recorded her 1,000 career helper on a kill from freshman Marissa Thompson to make the score 9-6.

Turn finished the match with a team-high 21 assists and now has 1,020 career assists. She is second on the team behind Jill Klaphake who put up 17 assists and now has 1,361 for her career.

UP NEXT: Concordia will have little time to enjoy the win as they will host Carleton on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. The Knights are 6-17 this season and are coming off a 3-0 loss at St. Benedict on Friday.    

CONCORDIA vs. GUSTAVUS HIGHLIGHTS