Cobbers Fall in Back-to-Back Matches Against Bethel and Northwestern

Concordia vs Bethel (25–14, 25–14, 25–21)

Concordia couldn't overcome a hot-hitting Bethel offense, falling in straight sets (25–14, 25–14, 25–21) on Saturday afternoon.

The Cobbers traded points early in the first set behind kills from Mallory Leitner, Addy Klemin, and Lauren Pearson, but Bethel's momentum midway through the frame created separation. Concordia trailed just 15–12 before the Royals rattled off eight of the next nine points to take a commanding lead. Back-to-back kills from Bethel sealed the set 25–14.

Concordia came out strong in the second set, jumping ahead 2–0 on a service ace by Becca Woody and a kill from Klemin. The Royals, however, responded with a five-point serving run by Grace Therrien, flipping the momentum. The Cobbers fought to stay within striking distance with kills from Horan and Leitner, narrowing the gap to 10–13. Bethel extended their lead with a six-point run, pushing the score to 19–10 and eventually closing the set by the same 25–14 margin.

The Cobbers showed their most competitive stretch in the third set. After Bethel opened with a quick point, Concordia surged ahead 5–2 behind kills from Horan and Lauren Bangs, along with a service ace by Holland Fitterer. The Royals clawed back to even the score at 8–8, and the teams traded points through the middle of the set. Concordia trailed just 18–17 before Bethel used a late run fueled by two service aces from Sophia Rubio. Addy Klemin responded with back-to-back kills to narrow the gap, but Bethel captured the final two points to take the set 25–21 and complete the sweep.

Horan led the offense with seven kills, while Klemin added six and hit a team-high .200. Betsy Schiltz ran the offense with 17 assists and led the defense with 14 digs.

Concordia vs Northwestern (15-25, 24-26, 23-25) 

Concordia battled the University of Northwestern (MN) in a competitive three-set match on Saturday afternoon but fell 25–15, 26–24, 25–23. The Cobbers showed resilience throughout, keeping the Eagles on their toes in each frame, but were unable to secure a win.

The Cobbers got out to an early exchange of points in the first set, with kills from Lauren Pearson and Kali Malvey bringing the score to 4–3, just one point behind Northwestern. The Eagles responded quickly, scoring seven of the next nine points to create separation. Annie Horan's kill briefly halted the run, but Concordia found themselves trailing 6–12 early. Northwestern maintained momentum, combining timely kills with Cobber errors to extend the lead. Kills from Addy Klemin, Malvey, Horan, and Betsy Schiltz provided flashes of hope for the Cobbers, but it wasn't enough as Northwestern captured the first set decisively, 25–15.

Concordia responded in the second set, trading points back and forth with the Eagles. Early kills from Malvey and Klemin gave the Cobbers an early 5–3 advantage. Northwestern answered with a five-point run to take an 8–5 lead, but Concordia stayed within striking distance. A three-point run by the Eagles was halted by a Klemin kill, bringing the score to 13–10. At the 15-point mark, Cobber errors allowed Northwestern to extend their lead to 18–12. However, a kill from Pearson sparked a five-point Cobber run to cut the deficit to just one. Both teams traded points down the stretch, with timely kills from Pearson and Malvey and Northwestern errors helping Concordia tie the score at 24–24. The Eagles ultimately claimed the next two points to take the second set 26–24.

The third set featured another tightly contested battle, with Concordia fighting to stay in the match until the final point. Early kills from Klemin, Lauren Bangs, and Horan tied the set at 4–4. Northwestern surged ahead with three consecutive points before a Malvey kill cut the run, bringing the score to 7–5. The Eagles responded with four more points, but Concordia answered with a strong stretch, winning eight of the next eleven points to tie the set at 14–14. Both teams continued to trade points, deadlocking again at 21. Northwestern claimed the next two points to take a late lead, but a Malvey kill and an Eagle error tied the score at 23–23. In the final moments, a Cobber error and a timely kill from Northwestern allowed the Eagles to secure the third set 25–23 and the match victory.

Offensively, Concordia was led by Lauren Pearson with 11 kills. Betsy Schiltz recorded another double-double with 24 assists and 14 digs, while Holland Fitterer also contributed 14 digs. Klemin, Malvey, and Horan added consistent offensive production throughout the match, keeping Concordia competitive in each set.

The Cobbers return to action on Friday, October 17, when they travel to Augsburg for a 7:00 p.m. matchup.