SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – After dropping the first set 25-22, the second-ranked Concordia-St. Paul volleyball team found its rhythm for three straight double digit victories over Sioux Falls in NSIC action Friday night. The Golden Bears improve to 24-3 overall and 17-2 in the league with their 14th consecutive victory.
Ellie Duffy (Fridley, Minn.) notched her second 20-kill performance of the season, including a .500 attack percentage (20-3-34).
Kayla Koenecke (Delano, Minn.) proved to be efficient going 14-for-22 on the attack with no errors for .636 clip.
Cassie Haag (Plymouth, Minn.) was the third Golden Bear to reach double figure kills with 10 kills on 22 attempts and one error for a .409 percentage.
Amanda Konetchy (Victoria, Minn.) recorded her team-leading seventh double-double of the year after serving up 47 assists to go with 11 digs.
Taylor Dordan (Blaine, Minn.) led the team with 12 digs.
Sioux Falls set the tone early in the opening set, jumping out to an 11-4 lead. CU responded by going on a 9-to-3 run to cut the deficit to one at 14-13, but the Cougars increased their lead back to four points at 22-18. Concordia then scored four of the next five and trailed 23-22, but a USF kill and CU attack error to end the set resulted in a Cougar win.
The Cougars rolled their momentum into the second set and led 5-3 early until the Golden Bears tallied nine consecutive points for a 12-5 lead. They went on another run of five straight points and cruised to the 25-13 decision.
Concordia ran out to a 4-0 lead in the third set before the Cougars closed the gap with four of the next five points. The Bears held onto their lead, though, and managed to take the set by a 10-point scoring margin.
The final set was CU's from the beginning. The Navy and Gold didn't allow the home team to score consecutive points throughout the entire set en route to a 25-10 victory.
The NSIC regular season title will be on the line Saturday in Marshall, Minn. as the top two team in the country square off. Top-ranked Southwest Minnesota State (26-1, 17-2 NSIC) will play host to Concordia at 4:00 p.m.
