Cobbers Close Opening Weekend With Sweep of Crown

Concordia 0, Nebraska Wesleyan 3

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (8/30/25) – Concordia showed flashes of momentum on Saturday afternoon, but Nebraska Wesleyan's hot hitting proved too much to overcome as the Cobbers dropped a three-set match (21-25, 17-25, 14-25) inside Claire Lynch Hall.

The first set had plenty of back-and-forth energy. After the Prairie Wolves stormed out with an eight-point run, the Cobbers punched right back. A five-point rally, fueled by back-to-back kills from Lauren Pearson, pulled Concordia back into the fight. The Cobbers closed the gap to just three late in the set, but NWU strung together key points down the stretch to take it 25-21.

Concordia carried that spark into the set, jumping out to a 7-2 lead behind a 4-0 run. But Nebraska Wesleyan quickly stole back the momentum with 10 unanswered points and controlled the rest of the set for a 25-17 win.

The Prairie Wolves stayed sharp in the third, swinging at a .429 clip to seal the sweep with a 25-14 finish.

On the stat sheet, Lauren Bangs led the way for the Cobbers with six kills while hitting .400. Anna Knain handed out 13 assists and added five digs, while Betsy Schiltz and Lexie Loham anchored the defense with seven digs apiece.

Concordia 3, Crown 0

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (8/30/25) – Concordia found its rhythm on Saturday afternoon, rolling past Crown in straight sets (25-18, 25-18, 25-9) to close out the opening weekend of the season.

The Cobbers looked sharp from the first serve, combining a steady offense with strong serving runs to stay in control throughout the match.

In the opening set, Concordia wasted little time building momentum. Annie Horan, Lexi Lohman, and Mallory Leitner each chipped in early kills before Addy Klemin caught fire with three straight points at the net. Setters Anna Knain and Betsy Schiltz spread the ball around to keep the Polars defense off balance, and a late six-point run helped the Cobbers close out a 25-18 win. Klemin finished the set with a flawless five kills.

The second set followed a similar script. Horan and Leitner provided timely offense, while Schiltz sparked another key Cobber run with a service ace and several clean setups that extended the lead. Concordia's depth proved too much, as they pulled away for another 25-18 decision.

By the third set, Concordia had all the momentum. Lauren Pearson delivered a flurry of kills and an ace, while Horan and Emma Nagorski added more firepower at the net. The Cobbers surged to a 10-2 start and never looked back, finishing the match with a dominant 25-9 victory.

The Cobbers showcased balance across the board, hitting .225 as a team with 43 kills. Pearson paced the attack with nine kills on 27 swings, while Knain (14 assists) and Schiltz (17 assists) kept the offense running smoothly. Schiltz also posted her second double-double of the season with 10 digs to go along with her setting, and Hanna Mooney added seven digs of her own.

Concordia will be back in action on Friday, Sept. 5, when they hit the road to take on Bethany Lutheran.