Cobbers Rally Past Mayville State in 5-Set Thriller
Concordia volleyball edged past Mayville State in a five-set showdown, dropping the opener 16–25 before rallying to take the next two sets 25–15 and 25–18. The Comets bounced back to claim the fourth set 25–20, but the Cobbers closed the match with a decisive 15–9 fifth-set victory.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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16 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 3 |
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25 | 15 | 18 | 25 | 9 | 2 |
Team Stats
Mayville State
| Game Statistics | Concordia-M'head | Mayville State |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .126 | .031 |
| Blocks | 6.0 | 3.0 |
| Digs | 75 | 73 |
| Aces | 5 | 7 |
MAYVILLE, N.D. (9/23/25)---Concordia volleyball battled back from an opening set loss to defeat Mayville State in five sets (16-25, 25-15, 25-18, 20-25, 15-9) in a hard-fought matchup on the road.
The Cobbers started strong in the first set, claiming the opening point on a Comet attack error and staying close early thanks to kills from Mallory Leitner and Annie Horan. Concordia battled back mid-set with contributions from Lauren Bangs and Horan, and a block from Horan and Kaili Malvey brought the score to 14–19. Despite their efforts, Mayville closed the set on a 6–1 run, taking the opener 25–16.
Refusing to be shaken, Concordia responded in the second set with authority, opening up an 8–1 lead behind kills from Leitner and Horan, a service ace from Becca Woody, and a series of forced Mayville errors. Kills from Bangs, Horan, and Addy Klemin extended the lead to 21–9, and even a late Comet rally could not slow down the Cobbers. Concordia finished the set on a Mayville attack error, 25–15, to tie the match at one set apiece.
Momentum carried into the third set, as Concordia quickly built a lead with early kills from Horan, Malvey, and Schiltz, sparking an early 5–0 run. Bangs added a kill to extend the advantage, forcing a Mayville timeout. Out of the break, a service ace from Woody and a block from Leitner and Bangs helped Concordia run off six more points. Kills from Leitner, Bangs, and Klemin kept the Cobbers in control, and Leitner closed the set with a final kill before a Comet error sealed the 25–18 win, giving Concordia a 2–1 match advantage.
The fourth set saw a back-and-forth battle. Concordia jumped out to a 5–3 lead on kills from Leitner, Malvey, and Schiltz, but Mayville tied it with a kill and an ace. Malvey sparked a 4–0 run, putting the Cobbers up 12–8 and forcing a Comet timeout. The Cobbers extended the lead with kills from Bangs, Horan, and Leitner, but errors and timely Comet plays allowed Mayville to take control late. After a brief Cobber surge, Mayville scored the last five points to take the set 25–20, sending the match to a decisive fifth set.
In the final frame, Concordia came out firing. A Mayville service error gave the Cobbers the early edge, and Malvey and Bangs pushed the lead to 10–7, prompting a Comet timeout. Concordia kept the pressure on, with Klemin delivering three consecutive kills to make it 13–7. Malvey closed out the set with a kill, giving Concordia a 15–9 set win and the match victory.
The Cobbers' offense was led by Malvey with 13 kills and Leitner with nine, while Bangs posted the team's best hitting percentage at .571. Betsy Schiltz guided the offense with 37 assists, and Woody led the defense with a career-high 26 digs, supported by Holland Fitterer's 18.
Concordia will return to action Friday, September 26, at 7:00 p.m. against St. Catherine.