Monster Match Numbers Lead To Saturday Split

MORRIS, Minn. (9/18/21)---Concordia split its two matches at Morris on Saturday. The Cobbers outlasted Buena Vista 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 25-19, 15-11) and then fell to Minn.-Morris 3-1 (26-24, 20-25, 20-25, 18-25) in the second match.

The win against Buena Vista snapped a 2-match losing skid for the Cobbers and earned CC some revenge from the second match of the year when they lost 3-0 to the Beavers. The split on the day moves the Cobbers' record to 5-8 on the year.

Concordia dropped the opening set against BVU but then roared back to win the next two sets. The Cobbers won the last six points of the second set to erase a 21-19 deficit and win 25-21. CC carried that late-set momentum into the third bout where they won the first five points, never trailed and won going away at 25-19.

The Cobbers gave up a 6-0 streak midway through the fourth set and lost 25-21. The decisive fifth set was won at the end. With the set tied at 8-8, Concordia won the next two points and seven of the final 10 to take the set 15-11 and the match 3-2.

Concordia hit above .190 in four of the five sets and finished with an attack percentage of .228. The Cobbers had season highs in kills and digs. CC ended the 5-set match with 60 winners and 108 digs.

Senior Anna Brakke had a monster match. She put up season highs in kills (22) and digs (28). Brakke also hit a team-best .292.

Kendra Wiggs had 16 kills and Brook Carney recorded 12 to give CC three players with at least 10 winners.  

The Cobbers had two other players with at least 20 digs. Chloe Markovic recorded 25 digs and Karlie Goschen added 20.

Freshman Kenzie Urbanec came through with a season-high 49 assists.

Concordia used the momentum from the first match in the opening set against Morris. The Cobbers won the opener 26-24 after the saved off a set point at 24-23 and the rattled off three straight points.

The momentum would end there for the Cobbers. The Cougars were able to hit at least .200 in the next three sets and swept the final sets.

Concordia hit .115 against Morris as opposed to .215 for the Cougars.

CC had three players with at least 10 winners in the second match. Brakke added to her season total with 15 kills. She now has 149 kills for the year which is third most in the MIAC. Freshman Hannah Keil had 12 kills and Carney had 10.  

Markovic had a team-high 20 digs and now has 199 for the year. She is currently second in the MIAC in digs this year.

Urbanec had 37 assists and finished the day with 86. She has 321 for the season.

UP NEXT: Concordia will head back to conference play when they travel to Arden Hills to take on Bethel on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.