Box Score DENVER, Colo. – The Concordia Golden Bears volleyball team (7-1) advances to the championship in the Colorado Premier Challenge after handing #11 Angelo State (6-1) their first loss in four sets on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Bears will face the top ranked Tampa Spartans (7-0) in a rematch of last year's thrilling national championship match tonight at 8:00 p.m.
Concordia led by as much as eight in the first set and withstood a few late Angelo State runs to grab the set 25-21.
Heather Schiller (Coon Rapids, Minn.) and
Emily McDonough (Stillwater, Minn. ) each had five kills for CU in the set.
The Golden Bears looked to be well on their way to taking the second set after scoring five of the first six points to force a Belles timeout. Angelo State responded with a solid attack led by Arielle Bond (six kills in the set) to even the match at one with a 25-22 set win.
The Belles led early in the third set 11-8 before CU went on a four point run to take the lead at 12-11. There were six ties and three lead changes in the match as the two teams went back and forth. Concordia used another 4-0 run to extend a 17-16 lead to 21-16. The Golden Bears closed out the set with a score of 25-20.
The fourth set proved to be easier going for the Golden Bears as they held a comfortable lead the entire set to finish the match. Angelo State made it interesting, cutting a 21-10 lead to 23-17, but were unable to close the gap with CU taking the set 25-18.
Concordia had five players finish with double digit kills in the match, led by McDonough's 15. She also had 10 digs to pick up her third double double of the year. Two other Golden Bears finished with double doubles as
Kayla Koenecke (Delano, Minn. ) put up her fourth double double of the year with 13 kills and 15 digs and
Kara Pioske (Waconia, Minn. ) contributed 14 kills and 16 digs. Pioske's 14 kills were a career high.
Amanda Konetchy (Victoria, Minn. ) had a season high 56 assists and
Taylor Dordan (Blaine, Minn.) had a season high 24 digs in Concordia's fifth win over a ranked opponent.
The Golden Bears' tournament championship match will be a highly anticipated one in their tenth meeting with the Spartans. Concordia has faced Tampa three times in the national championship match in their six year championship run. Tampa replaced CU as the #1 team in the country last week when the Golden Bears fell from #1 to #4.
