Oct. 26, 2013 - While last week's home match versus Lakeland College was designated as Senior Day for the Concordia-Chicago volleyball team, tonight's match at Alverno College provided a showcase for the talents of Cougar seniors
Bianca Gordon (Milwaukee, WI/Milwaukee Lutheran), Lisa Koller (Indianapolis, IN/Indianapolis Lutheran) and
Jenna Boggs (South Beloit, IL/Hononegah). The trio combined to help the Cougars snap their recent skid and lead the team past Alverno in five sets (25-12, 12-25, 25-22, 21-25, 18-16).
It was the Cougars and not the Inferno that came out like the proverbial house on fire. Concordia. Sparked by Gordon and
Kristin Allen (Green Valley, IL/Illini Central), the Cougars roared to an early 11-2 lead and were never threatened. Concordia pounded out 11 kills in the opening set to go with a .333 attack.
Alverno heated up their offense in set two and evened the match behind five kills from Emily Ortner. The Inferno hit .419 on 14 kills to just one error in 31 tries.
The two teams settled into a neck-and-neck battle over the ensuing three sets. Gordon's five kills (.833) led the attack in CUC's third-set win while
Angela Hennig (Springfield, IL/Springfield Lutheran) contributed four serving aces.But Alverno charged back behind Ortner's five kills in set four to even the match and send it to a decisive fifth set.
In set five, the Cougars trailed much of the set and appeared to be in danger trailing 14-12. But kills by Allen and Koller with an Alverno error sandwiched in between put Concordia on top 15-14. The Inferno fought back to even the score two more times, but the Cougars kept the pressure on and scored the final two points of the match.
Gordon enjoyed a stellar performance with 14 kills in 23 tries (two errors) for a .522 attack while also adding five blocks. Allen recorded 11 kills, and Koller added nine kills in 28 tries (one error) for a .286 attack. Boggs handed out 36 assists and led the Cougars in digs with 18.
The Cougars will complete the 2013 season next Friday and Saturday with four matches at the Benedictine University Invitational.
