RIVER FOREST, ILL. — Back in Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference (NACC) action for the first time in a week, Concordia University Chicago (CUC) women's volleyball (8-7, 1-2) welcomed the Benedictine University Eagles (6-9, 2-1) to Geiseman Gymnasium on Thursday evening. Besides a competitive second set, CUC could do little to slow down a high-flying Eagles team, losing to Benedictine 3-0. 

 

-Inside the Box Score

• Lili Hunt (Greenfield, Ind.) led CUC in kills with 10, being the only Cougar to reach double-digit kills. 

• Malainna Adler (Fenton, Mo.) dished out the most assists for CUC with her 22. She also had nine digs. 

• Concordia had two players reach double-digits in kills: Janelle White (Morton Grove, Ill.) with 16, and Shaira Marin (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) with 13. 

 

-How It Happened

 

First Set

Benedictine struck first, taking an early 2-0 lead. The Cougars got one back thanks to a Hunt kill, but the Eagles tacked on two more points to go up 4-1. However, three straight points from CUC evened up the game at 4-4, and the teams then traded points until it was 6-6. 

 

A 4-0 run from Benedictine put them back in front, 10-6, but Concordia cut the lead down to two twice, at 10-8 and 12-10. With their lead down to two, the Eagles used a massive eight-point run to double up CUC, 20-10. Following a timeout from head coach Andrew Palmer, the Cougars secured five of the next seven points to make it 22-15. 

 

This is where the Eagles put their foot down however, scoring the last three points in the set to win set one 25-15. 

 

Second Set

Set two began as a back and forth affair, with the teams trading points for the first five points of the set. The Cougars scored back-to-back to take a 4-2 lead, but three straight from the Eagles erased that lead and gave Benedictine a lead. The Cougars quickly tied things up though.

 

The squads traded mini-runs to set the score at 9-8 in favor of the visiting Eagles. Then, a six-point spree from the home team gave CUC a 14-9 lead. That did little to slow down the Eagles however, who scored four of the next five points to pull with two of CUC. 

 

Still, the Cougars were able to hold Benedictine at bay, eventually working their way up to an 18-14 lead. The Eagles found their stride here though, dropping four straight points to even the game at 18 points apiece. Following a CUC timeout, the Eagles added two more points to take a 20-18 lead before CUC could find a response. 

 

Up by just one, the Eagles took care of business to close out the set, scoring five of the final six points to take set two 25-20, and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

 

-Set Three

Needing a set win to prolong the match, the Cougars came out firing in set three, scoring three of the first four points to go up 3-1. A 6-1 run by the Eagles quickly erased Concordia's advantage and put Benedictine up 7-4. Consecutive points from Concordia brought CUC within one, but three more Benedictine scores upped their lead back to four, 10-6. 

 

Eventually, the Cougars pulled within one with the score at 12-11, and the teams then commenced to trade points until it was 14-13 in favor of the Eagles. Benedictine then used a massive nine-point streak to come within two of match point, 23-13. The Cougars managed to get one back off a Benedictine attack error, but the Eagles then quickly closed out CUC with two straight points, winning the set 25-14 and the match 3-0.

 

-Up Next

The Cougars are back in Geiseman on Saturday, Oct. 5, for a 12 p.m. matchup with the Green Knights of St. Norbert College. Coverage for the match can be found at our website, cucougars.com.