RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Concordia University Chicago men's volleyball team (0-2, 0-0 NACC) kicked off
their 2023 season with the Concordia Invitational Tri against Adrian University and Illinois Wesleyan University Saturday afternoon. The Cougars squared off with the Bulldogs first, followed by the Titans in the nightcap. CUC dropped both matches: 3-1 to Adrian and 3-2 to Illinois Wesleyan.
Game One vs. Adrian
Inside the Box Score
- Luke Vozenilek led the Cougars' offense with 18 kills, along with three block assists.
- Freshmen Van Gaetto made a splash in his collegiate debut with 11 kills, three block assists, and a service ace.
- Andrej Moller picked up seven kills and 4 block assists in his first game at CUC.
The Cougars relied heavily on their veteran players for their offense in the early sets of the match.
Luke Vozenilek, the three-time NACC First Team All-Conference recipient, picked up his first kill of the match in the early points.
The Cougars held a 12-9 lead over the Bulldogs in the middle of the set, but a 5-1 Adrian run gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the set and some breathing room. CUC worked back and tied the set at 19-19, and regained the lead following a block from Vozenilek and fellow senior
Colby Campbell.
Both teams traded points down the stretch with CUC reaching set point, 24-23. Adrian would score on the next point, and went on to win the set, 31-29.
Adrian continued to control the match in the second set. Beck Fieldhouse and Chase Heuer were a problem for CUC, as the duo recorded 16 and 15 kills respectfully. CUC found themselves up 15-12, but the Bulldogs strung together another 5-1 run. The Cougars made several errors down the stretch, as Adrian rode a six-point run to win the set, 25-19.
CUC avoided the sweep with a win in the third set. Freshmen
Van Gaetto and
Andrej Moller stepped up and made their presence known with big time plays. Both teamed up for a huge block that fired up the Cougars' bench in the beginning of the set.
The point was part of a 4-0 CUC run that gave them a 6-3 lead. Moller showed off his offensive skills with an explosive kill later in the match, which gave CUC a two-point lead, 17-15.
Adrian responded with several runs that gave them the lead for most of the later points. Following a Bulldog service error after the 24-22 point, Gaetto recorded his lone service ace of the match to keep CUC alive. An Adrian attack error and Vozenilek kill closed out the set, as CUC trailed 2-1 going into the final set.
The Cougars picked up where they left off in the previous set jumping out to a 9-3 lead. Adrian took the reins after trailing 12-7, and went on a 5-1 run putting themselves within striking distance. Adrian pulled ahead a few points for the first time in the set, 18-17. CUC couldn't rally and lost the set 25-23, and the match 3-1.
Game Two vs. Illinois Wesleyan
Inside the Box Score
- Luke Vozenilek led CUC with 18 kills and two services aces.
- Tyler Holubeck racked up 15 kills along with one solo block and block assist.
- CUC totaled 52 kills in five sets.
CUC came out in their match against Illinois Wesleyan with a new attitude and revived life.
Luke Vozenilek picked up right where he left off in their first match, and targeted a tired Titans' defense. He finished the set with five kills, and Tyler Holubeck finished with four.
CUC built up their lead to 19-14 forcing IWU to call a timeout. The Titans picked up two points following the break and found themselves down 20-16. A service ace from
Christopher Livesay stole all momentum from IWU, as the Cougars closed the opening set on a 4-1 run, and won 25-18.
The second set was the closest thing to a momentum teeter totter on the day. With the teams trading points and leads, there were nine tied points in the first 20 points. One of the highlights during that span was Vozenilek's rocket that knocked over a Titan.
The Titans' Jake Kougan racked up four kills in the set, along with a solo block. Following a CUC service error that gave IWU a 16-15 lead, the Titans held onto the lead for the rest of the set. They closed out the second set on a 4-1 run, and won 25-20.
CUC came out poised for redemption in the third set. In their best scoring set of the match, CUC recorded ten kills and left little hope for Titan success. CUC jumped out to a 3-0 lead, which later grew to a 9-3. As a team, CUC recorded nine total team blocks. One of the biggest came from
Colby Campbell during the 20-12 point.
CUC cruised through the remainder of the set, winning 25-12.
The fourth set was a complete flip of the script in favor of IWU. The Cougars led for only one point, as the Titans tallied a team-best 13 kills. IWU ended the set on a 5-0 scoring run, en route to a 25-16 win.
As Cougar Sports Network broadcaster Peter Borkowski said during the fifth set, "If you didn't think this match could get any better, you were proven wrong."
The thrilling decisive fifth set featured swan dives, epic kills, and fans on their feet. Holubeck started the scoring for CUC with his first of two kills in the set.
After falling behind 8-5, the Cougars rallied with four consecutive points and took the lead, 9-8. IWU and CUC continued to trade punches, but there wasn't enough left in the tank for the Cougars. The Titans prevailed in the end 15-13, and won the match 3-2.
The Cougars return to action tomorrow night, as they host North Park University in a non-conference match at 7 p.m. Coverage of the match can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
