TAMPA, Fla. – The fifth-ranked Concordia Golden Bears volleyball team (2-2) dropped the final match of the Terrace Hotel Classic to top-ranked Tampa (4-0) on Saturday night as the Golden Bears fell in four sets (17-25, 22-25, 25-23, 23-25).
On a night when there was very little separating the two schools, it was the Spartans that were able to take advantage of some strong finishes to hand the Golden Bears a four-set loss. Despite the loss, Concordia managed to finish with a 56-51 edge in kills as well as a 5-4 edge in service aces. Tampa, on the other hand, outhit CSP .250-.232 and held a 58-53 edge in digs in the win.
For the third time in four matches to start the season,
Erin Fallert picked up at least 15 kills to lead the team as she finished with a team-best 15 kills and 14 digs to pick up her second double-double on the year. She was joined in double figures in kills with
Sara Macek, who tallied 11 kills on just 17 swings for an excellent .588 hitting percentage while
Tori Hanson joined her in double figures in digs with 13 digs.
The setting duo of
Payton Nutter and
Ellie Veldman once again split time as Nutter contributed 28 assists and nine digs while Veldman finished with 19 assists and a pair of digs.
Makenna Berger chipped in eight kills and seven digs while
Jasmine Mulvihill put up eight kills and five digs.
Katie McKiel and Mackenzie Dufrense combined for 33 of Tampa's 51 kills as McKiel led all player with 17 and Dufresne followed close behind with 16. Nicole Dominguez chipped in a match-best 16 digs as well.
After the Golden Bears built an early 4-3 lead in the first set, Tampa answered with six of the next seven points to take control with a 9-5 lead of their own. A few points later UT added to their advantage with a 5-0 run to make it 15-7, but the Golden Bears fought their way back to within three at 18-15. Concordia managed just two more points the rest of the set as the Spartans cruised to a 25-17 set victory in the opening frame.
With another early 5-0 burst for the Spartans in the second, this time turning a 6-4 deficit into a 9-6 lead, UT forced CSP to play from behind in much of the set. The Tampa lead reached five several points later before four straight for the Golden Bears shrunk the gap back to one at 14-13. Concordia continued to nip at the Spartans' heels, keeping the score within one as late as 23-22, but they were unable to push their way over the edge as Tampa took a commanding 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-22 win in the second set.
Concordia looked to shift things in their favor in the third as they strung together five points in a row after falling behind 2-0, but the Spartans once again jumped out front at 11-9 following three straight in their favor. CSP showed some resilience, however, as they used an extended 10-4 stretch to take their largest lead of the set at 19-15. Tampa managed to tie it back up at 23-23, but the Golden Bears stemmed the tide and grabbed the final two points to force a fourth set.
The momentum remained in CSP's corner to begin in the fourth set as the Golden Bears doubled up UT with an 8-4 lead. Concordia continued to lead for much of the rest of the set, including extending it to five at 11-6, but it was the Spartans that finished strongest in the set. Concordia's lead remained comfortably out front at 21-17, but a timely 7-1 run for Tampa forced set point the other way at 24-22. CSP survived the first set point but couldn't survive a second as the Spartans finished off the match with a 25-23 set win in the fourth.
The Golden Bears head west next weekend for the Colorado Premier Challenge. CSP will face #24 West Florida and #12 Ferris State on Friday before playing two more matches on Saturday.
