Oct. 10, 2012 - The Concordia Cougars hosted Benedictine University this evening in Northern Athletics Conference play. The Eagles entered play 20-3 overall and 7-1 in the NAC while the Cougars started the night 4-13, 2-6 in NAC play. However, the two long-time rivals battled each other on equal terms for much of the night before Benedictine finally prevailed in four sets (25-23, 18-25, 25-20, 26-24).
The Cougars fell behind by six points (17-11) in set one but kept battling back.
Cheryl Robaczewski (Schiller Park, IL/East Leyden) hit .667 with four kills in the set, and she went on to have a career night with 10 kills and a .450 attack.
Meghan O'Hara's (Sheffield Village, OH/Lutheran West) block pulled Concordia within 24-23, but Eagles' setter Abby Sattler halted the comeback with a kill to close out the opening set.
A balanced attack got the Cougars even in set two. Freshman
Kristin Allen (Green River, IL/Illini Central) hit .333 with four kills, and
Claire Mackey (Shelton, NE/Heartland Lutheran) and
Bianca Gordon (Milwuakee, WI/Milwaukee Lutheran) added three kills each. The Cougars scored the first three points and never trailed in the set.
Benedictine enjoyed its best hitting of the night in set three with 11 kills and a .318 attack. Middle hitter Nicole Adams turned up the heat with five kills in seven attempts.
In set four, Concordia trailed by as many as six points at 13-7 but once again rallied. A pair of service aces by
Maryl Pinotti (Evergreen Park, IL/H.S.) propelled Concordia into the lead at 18-17. Later in the set, a ball-handling error gave the Cougars a 24-23 lead and put them on the verge of forcing a decisive set five. But Adams came up big at the end, recording two kills and then a solo block to give the Eagles the final three points, a set-four victory and the match.
Mackey led the Cougars with 15 kills, followed by Allen's 11 and Robaczewski's 10.
Jenna Boggs (South Beloit, IL/Hononegah) handed out 39 assists, her second-highest output of the season. For Benedictine, Adams finished with 18 kills, a .471 attack and four blocks.
The Cougars will play a non-conference match at North Park University on Saturday afternoon
