DULUTH, Minn. - The #3 Concordia University volleyball team (15-3, 8-2 NSIC) was swept by #2 Minnesota Duluth (17-1, 10-0 NSIC) on Saturday afternoon at Romano Gym. The Bulldogs stayed unbeaten in conference play as they took the three sets 29-27, 25-22 and 25-17.
Minnesota Duluth stifled the Golden Bear attack as they held them to a .178 hitting percentage while hitting .308 themselves. UMD also won the service battle as they had five aces compared to two for Concordia.
Mariya Sampson was a definite bright spot for the Golden Bears as she finished the match with a team-high 11 kills and nine digs with an efficient .391 hitting percentage.
Anna Schlaak added eight kills and 13 digs as she fell two kills short of her fourth straight double-double.
Kasey Williams chipped in 26 assists and six digs while
Heather Schiller added four blocks and
Taylor Dordan added seven digs as well.
The Bulldogs put foward a balanced attack with three players finishing in double digits in kills, led by Katie Ledwell's 13 as Maddy Siroin had 12 and Mariah Scharf for UMD. Ashley Hinsch was active with 44 assists and Julie Rainey picked up a match-high 18 digs as well.
The first set lived up to the marquee billing as the two teams traded the lead seven times to go along with 13 ties in the set. Concordia held their biggest lead early in the set as they jumped out to a quick 7-4 lead. The Bulldogs quickly erased it and built a three point lead of their own at 17-14. Neither team seemed able to break free as the score remained tied at 23-23. A Sampson kill gave CU a 24-23 lead and a chance to claim the set but they couldn't put it away as the Bulldogs scored the next two points. It would take four set points for UMD to finally close it out as they took the first set 29-27.
Concordia scored four of the first six points in the second set but a 9-1 run for Minnesota Duluth quickly turned the tide in the Bulldogs' favor at 11-5. The Golden Bears clawed their way back in it as they cut the lead to one at 21-20 but they couldn't get any closer as UMD closed it out 25-22.
UMD was determined to close it out in three as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead to force a quick CU timeout in the third set. CU closed the gap to four at 17-13 but they never really recovered as the Bulldogs turned up the heat and finished off the sweep with a 25-17 set win.
Minnesota Duluth has now won three out of the last four in the series.
Concordia returns home this week as they have three home games this week against Winona State, Augustana and Wayne State.
