CHICAGO, ILL. -- The Concordia University Chicago Cougars took on the Roosevelt University Lakers in a non-conference matchup, ultimately falling 3-0 despite some close battles.
Inside the Box
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Marcin Hoffman (Inverness, Ill.) led the Cougars on the night with nine kills, five digs, and two blocks.
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David Vales (Oak Forest, Ill.) followed closely behind with eight kills, five digs, and two blocks.
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Ayaaz Arif (Bolingbrook, Ill.) led at the net with four total blocks.
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Dionte Garcia (Aurora, Colo.) picked up 11 digs on the night.
Set One
The Lakers struck first, but not without answer from Vales to tie things at one. The Cougars and Lakers would exchange points for a handful before kills from Vales and Elijah Mosher (Clayton, Ohio) would give them their first lead of the day at 6-5. Another exchange of points would give the Lakers the lead but a 3-0 run capped by a Leon Gudzovski (Des Plaines, Ill.) would put them ahead once again by two.
Despite battling for the first half of the first set, a 9-0 run from the Lakers would catapult them ahead of the Cougars, who would be unable to overcome the 11-point deficit and fall 25-14 in set one.
Set Two
Afer battling for the majority of the first the Cougars came out hot in second set jumping to a 2-1 lead after a kill from Jackson Stella (Hoffman Estates, Ill.). A big block from Arif and Vales would put keep them ahead by one before a kill from Vales would jump them ahead by two.
Still battling point-for-point, the Cougars jumped ahead 14-12 with kills from Timothy Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind.), Arif, and Vales. A 5-0 run from the Lakers would force a Cougar timeout before a kill from Vales would break the dry spell. Despite cutting the deficit down 17-15, another 3-0 run for the Lakers would put enter the Cougars into the dangerzone and force yet another timeout. The Lakers would go on a 5-0 run to close the set and take the 25-17 victory from the Cougars.
Set Three
In the third set, the Cougars kicked things up a notch and evened the score with the Lakers at 2-2. A kill from Hoffman paired with a block from Arif and Vales would keep things even at five apiece before the Cougars would steal the lead after an attack error from the Lakers. The Cougars would give the Lakers a handful of points before once again jumping ahead with a big time block from Hoffman and Stella. Arif would send a fiery serve right to the floor for an ace, forcing the Lakers to take a timeout as they now trailed 12-9.
The Cougars would remain ahead for a series of exchanges before a kill from the Lakers would even things up at 17. Once again going point-for-point, two kills from Hoffman would keep the score even beore the Lakers jumped ahead by two forcing a Cougar timeout. Fresh out of the timeout two kills from Hoffman and Vales would still leave the Cougars trailing by two forcing yet another Cougar timeout.
Out of the timeout, an attack error from the Lakers paired with a massive kill from Vales would even the score for the last time as a 2-0 run from the Lakers to close set three would win them the match.
The Cougars will be back in action on Saturday, February 3rd as they head to Adrian, Mich. for the Adrian Tri where they'll take on Maranatha Baptist University and Adrian College starting at 11:00 am EST. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
