Oct. 25, 2016 - The Concordia University Chicago volleyball team hosted Illinois Institute of Technology on Senior Night. The night started with a special tribute to lone senior Raven Burns when CUC head coach Troy Campbell and the rest of the CUC team honored Burns with flowers and a framed #11 jersey. The senior then turned in a career performance as she led the Cougars to a 3-2 match victory (20-25, 25-23, 25-27, 25-23, 15-8) in her final game at Geiseman Gymnasium.
In set one, the Scarlet Hawks jumped to a quick 6-2 lead behind some Cougars' errors. CUC came back strong, getting seven of the next 10 points led by Nikki Crowley's back-to-back aces to tie the game up at 9-9. IIT was able to recover from the Cougar comeback with a 7-3 run themselves that forced a CUC timeout. The Cougars were not able to manufacture another run in set one as the Scarlet Hawks went on to win 25-20.
Set two started out with a bang as CUC's Austin Thompson came out of the gate with a thunderous kill. The momentum kept going behind some excellent serves from Shelby Spitz and more kills from Thompson to give the Cougars a 6-4 lead. Throughout the middle of the match, the play remained even as both teams were exchanging points with no team really taking control. Finally, the Cougars were able to force a Scarlet Hawks' timeout and take a three point lead at 18-15 behind an Arendia Ruiter kill. IIT was able to claw their way back into the match to tie it back up at 20-20, but the timeout proved great for the Cougars as they sprung three of the next four points upon the Scarlet Hawks behind an ace by Hannah Johnson and an excellent tip kill by Burns to take a 23-21 lead. CUC was able to close out the match 25-23 with two huge kills from Ruiter to tie the match up 1-1.
In set three,,the Cougars came out strong again in winning a volley that lasted about a minute and a half long ending in a great kill by Ruiter to give them an early 4-2 lead. However, the Scarlet Hawks fought their way into a 12-6 lead from consecutive kills, two blocks, and errors from the Cougars that forced a CUC timeout. The Cougars were able to cut the lead to 17-14 when Thompson laid the hammer on back-to-back kills. Late in the match, the Cougars kept fighting back when Burns took charge with a huge kill and a tip to tie the game up at 20-20. CUC and IIT both went on runs that netted a score of 25-25 apiece. However, it was the Scarlet Hawks getting the final two points, winning the set 27-25 to take a 2-1 match lead.
The Cougars capitalized on a couple Scarlet Hawks' hitting errors, a Crowley ace and a Burns kill to begin set four. As the match went on, teams were going on mini-runs but staying close the entire set to a Cougar 14-11 lead. IIT came back to tie the game at 17 apiece, but Burns again came up big with another kill to put the home team back on top. CUC followed that up with a Ruiter smash and tip to give the Cougars a 20-18 lead late in set four. The Scarlet Hawks didn't concede the set however, as they came back with three straight kills of their own to take the lead 21-20 and force a Concordia-Chicago timeout. The timeout proved to be a good one from Coach Campbell as the Cougars won the set 25-23 on a kill by Burns to force a fifth set.
Ruiter started set five with a bang with a monstrous kill to continue the Cougar momentum. The Cougars kept it going as Crowley had excellent placed serves, Burns produced another kill and errors from IIT to extend the lead to 7-3. IIT came back after a timeout to cut the lead to 9-8, but Burns had another huge kill to kill the Scarlet Hawks' momentum to make it 10-8. The Cougars didn't look back from there as they reeled off five consecutive points to win the set 15-8 and the match 3-2.
Burns celebrated her night with a career-high 17 kills in 38 chances with just one error for a .421 attack percentage. Prior to tonight, Burns' high in kills was 11 twice, once earlier this season in a win over Rockford University. Thompson led CUC in kills with 21 on 61 chances and added 11 digs. Crowley also enjoyed a huge night with 51 assists, 19 digs and four aces.
The Cougars (5-22, 3-8 NACC) will travel to Milwaukee, WI on Friday, October 28 in the final match of the season to take on Mount Mary University at 6 p.m.
