Cobbers Start Strong but Fall in Four at Bethany Lutheran

Mankato, Minn. (9/5/2025) – Concordia came out firing on Friday night, taking the opening set in style, but Bethany Lutheran found its rhythm and rallied to win the next three frames to hand the Cobbers a 3–1 setback (25–22, 24–26, 22–25, 15–25).

The Vikings jumped all over the Cobbers to start, racing out to a 5–0 lead. Concordia didn't flinch. Kills from Annie Horan, Kali Malvey, Mallory Leitner, and Betsy Schiltz erased the gap and turned the opener into a point-for-point battle. With the set tied late, the Cobbers strung together five straight points, capped by an ace from Lexie Lohman, to take it 25–22. Malvey was nearly perfect in the opener, finishing with six kills on 11 swings without an error.

The second set had the same back-and-forth feel. Concordia erased multiple small deficits and pushed the frame all the way to 24–24 thanks to a pair of clutch kills from Leitner. But the Vikings had the final word, scoring the last two points to even the match 1–1. The Cobbers were sharp offensively in the set with just one attacking error, but timely service mistakes proved costly.

Concordia looked ready to reclaim control in the third, storming out to a 5–0 start behind tough serving and steady net play. Bethany Lutheran slowly chipped away until they flipped the scoreboard, and while the Cobbers stayed within striking distance down the stretch, the Vikings held strong in the closing rallies to escape with a 25–22 win.

The fourth set was all Bethany Lutheran. Concordia hung close through the opening exchanges, but a decisive mid-set run gave the Vikings breathing room they wouldn't give back. Six straight points to close the frame sealed the match for BLC and ended Concordia's comeback hopes.

Offensively, the Cobbers were led by Mallory Leitner, who finished with 11 kills while hitting .214. Annie Horan continued to be a steady contributor with nine kills and an efficient .300 hitting percentage. In the back row, Lexie Lohman anchored the defense with a team-high 15 digs, while Hanna Mooney and Betsy Schiltz each chipped in 11. Schiltz also directed the offense with 18 assists, keeping the Cobbers balanced at the net.

Concordia returns home on Tuesday, Sept. 9, when they will face Minnesota Morris at 6:00 p.m. inside Memorial Auditorium.