Oct. 14, 2011 - The general rule of thumb is that a 3-0 volleyball match is more indicative of a rout. That was not the case this evening as the Cougars battled Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. All three sets were neck-and-neck but, unfortunately, all three went to the Eagles in the end as they defeated the Cougars 29-27, 25-23 and 25-23.
Concordia had its best chance for victory in set one. Kills by
Maryl Pinotti (Evergreen Park, IL/H.S.) and
Sarah Potter (New Haven, IN/Woodlan) and a serving ace by
Amy Fischer gave Concordia a 6-1 lead. Edgewood fought back to tie the set, but the Cougars soon regained the lead as Fischer recorded two more aces for
a 17-13 lead. The lead was still at four points (21-17) when Edgewood reeled off six straight points to put the pressure back on the visitors.
The Cougars responded, and kills by Potter and
Bianca Gordon (Milwaukee, IL/Milwaukee Lutheran) put Concordia in the driver's seat once again at 26-25. However, Edgewood fought off the Cougars' bid for game point, and they would score four of the final five points to take the 29-27 win.
The close play continued in set two as neither team could ever build more than a two-point lead. The set was tied at 21-21, but the Eagles scored the next two points and would hold off the Cougars.
Set three was more of the same. Potter's kill tied the set at 23-23, but Edgewood's Sarah Schuchhardt came up with the big kill of the match to make the score 24-23. A Cougars' attack error then accounted for the final point of the match.
Gordon led the Cougars with 11 kills and a .391 attack while Potter added 10 kills. Concordia scored 10 points on blocks, led by
Allison Sapiro's (Milwaukee, WI/Milwaukee Lutheran) one solo and six block assists. Setter
Savanna Ashbaugh (Waverly, IL/H.S.) recorded 27 assists and 10 digs while Pinotti and
Claire Mackey (Shelton, NE/Heartland Lutheran) each added 15 digs.
Edgewood's Mallory Palmer led all hitters with 14 kills while Jessica Martin added 12 kills and a .409 attack.
Concordia (10-13, 5-4 NAC) will return home to host Wisconsin Lutheran College on Tuesday, Oct. 18.
