denver, colo. - concordia's volleyball team came up short again saturday night falling to #2 tampa 3-2 in a rematch of a week ago in tampa, fla. Saturday's loss marks the first time since under brady starkey that the #1 golden bears (5-3) have lost two straight matches. The last time any cu volleyball team lost consecutive matches was in 2002 the last season for geoff carlson. Cu was led by emily palkert's 18 kills.

setter amanda konetchy had a career high 56 assists on the night to go along with ten digs. Three other cu hitters had double digit kills, all with 13; megan carlson, cassie haag and kara pioske. Freshmen kayla koenecke added nine kills of her own.

the defense had 72 digs on the night led by taylor fieldsted's 23. Three other golden bears had double digit digs, the two others besides konetchy were koenecke and carlson who each had 11.

palkert, carlson and koencke were named to the all-tournament team. It was the third time palkert was named to the all-tournament for the third time at the metro/regis tournament. It was the second time for carlson.

the golden bears stared off hot in the first set jumping on ut 12-5. Cu kept up the attack and were up 19-12 before tampa stormed back within two at 20-18. The golden bears got back under control and took the set 25-18.

set two was much closer as no team led by more than two until tampa took a 21-18 lead, late in the set. The golden bears could not recover and tampa took the set 25-22.

tampa looked poised to take set three as they got out early on cu 14-9. Ut kept the lead later in the set 18-14 before the golden bears came back. Concordia tied the game at 20 following a ut timeout and took the lead on the next play thanks to a service ace by fieldsted. The golden bears forced another timeout when the took a 22-20 lead but again it couldn't stop the momentum as cu took the set 25-20.

bound to get revenge in the fourth set tampa looked to force a deciding fifth set. The set was close throughout once again and the first breathing room for either team went to ut who took a 14-11 lead. Concordia battled back and took the lead back at 20-19 but that would be the point cu scored in the set and tampa won 25-20.

the fifth set proved to be all tampa as they jumped out to 7-0 lead in a set to 15. Tampa led 10-3 before a golden bears run which brought them within three but that was as close as it would get. Tampa rattled off four straight points and won the set 15-8.

the golden bears open their nsic slate next weekend to face northern state on friday at 7 p.m. And then saturday they will face mary at 4 p. M.