RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Concordia University Chicago (CUC) women's volleyball team hosted the Maroon and Gold Tri today, welcoming Luther College and Saint Mary's College (Ind.) to Geiseman Gymnasium. Despite leaving it all on the court, CUC fell to both opponents.
Match One: 3-1 L
Inside the Box Score
- Indiah Day (Merrillville, Ind.) led the squad with nine kills while tacking on one service ace, one block, and three digs.
- Defensively, Rosemary Brenner (Frankenmuth, Mich.) shined with a team leading 22 digs.
- Harmonie Cooper (Chicago, Ill.) and Brynn Icenogle (Brentwood, Calif.) each totaled four blocks.
- Malainna Adler (Fenton, Mo.) registered 13 assists.
How It Happened
Set One
Adler set the tone for the match, recording back-to-back aces. Copper followed up with a kill to put the Cougars up, 3-0. However, the Norse of Luther found their rhythm and started to respond. The teams traded points, neither truly able to pull away, until Icenogle and Cooper made two blocks and Icenogle tacked on a kill to give CUC the lead, 14-11. Unfortunately, the lead was short lived as a few Cougar errors swung the momentum to Luther, who went up, 17-14. The Norse also had a pair of errors that put CUC back within one, but Luther held onto the lead. Day would record two more kills, with Cooper adding one, but the Norse would take set one, 25-21.
Set Two
Once again, the Cougars struck first with a kill from
Debanhi Moreno (Dallas, Texas). However, Luther continued their momentum from set one and used it to take a 6-2 lead. The Cougars fought back and a big block from
Ava Quevedo (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Icenogle gave CUC the lead, 9-8. The teams battled back-and-forth as Day and Cooper helped to extend the lead up to four points, 16-12. The Norse tried to come back, but CUC continued to answer and come up with important plays. The Cougars went on a 9-5 run to close out the set, with Day, Icenogle, Cooper, and
Beatriz Goncalves (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) each recording kills. CUC took the set 25-17 and tied the match up at 1-1.
Set Three
Moreno put the first point on the scoreboard which was followed by kills from Day and Goncalves and a block from Goncalves and Quevedo to take a 6-4 lead. Luther kept CUC on its toes, recording three straight kills. Goncalves, Icenogle, and Day answered with kills of their own to reclaim the lead. The teams continued to trade points until the Norse were able to pull away, 21-16. Goncalves would pick up one more kill for the Cougars, but CUC would fall 25-20. Luther now led the match, 2-1.
Set Four
For a fourth straight set, CUC took the first point, this time from
Weronika Kurnat (Burbank, Ill.).
Bethany Roethel (Wesby, Wis.) doubled the lead with a service ace. Unfortunately, Luther went on an 8-2 run to claim the lead. A solo block by Icenogle stopped the run, but the Norse answered with seven straight points, maintaining the lead, 15-5. Luther continued stack points as the Cougars struggled. Moreno would get a kill and Roethel would record another service ace towards the end of the set, but Luther decidedly took the set, 25-10. Luther won the match, 3-1.
Game Two: 3-0 L
Inside the Box Score
- Neva Foster (Parker, Colo.) led the squad with six kills and 10 digs.
- Jessalyne Perkins (Chicago, Ill.) recorded a team-high three blocks while Cooper and Kurnat each had two.
- Adler recorded 14 assists to lead the Cougars.
Set One
The Belles of Saint Mary's came out strong, taking an early 7-1 lead. The run was briefly stopped by a kill from Foster, but The Belles extended their lead to 17-2. Icenogle picked up a kill, but Saint Mary's made quick work of set one, taking it 25-6.
Set Two
The Cougars bounced back in set two, with back-to-back kills from Icenogle and Foster. A service ace from
Jordan Brown (Bensenville, Ill.) and another kill from Foster would give CUC a 4-1 lead. The Belles responded by reclaiming the lead, but the Cougars would not back down. Another kill from Foster and a block by Cooper and Kurnat tied the set, 6-6. The teams battled and Kurnat, Perkins, Brown, and Cooper kept CUC right with Saint Mary's. Tied 16-16, CUC fought to get the lead. A kill from Kurnat and a block from Cooper helped give the Cougars a two-point lead. Sadly, the Belles would go on an 8-0 run to end the set and take it, 25-19. Saint Mary's led the match, 2-0.
Set Three
Two kills from Icenogle and blocks by Day and Perkins put CUC ahead 4-2 to kick off set three. A few back-and-forth points, CUC went on a 4-0 run that consisted of kills from Cooper and Day, a service ace from Roethel, and a block by Kurnat and Perkins. This put CUC in the driver's seat, 10-5. The Belles rallied and went on a 7-2 run to tie the set up at 12-12. The Cougars maintained a slight lead, and kills from Kurnat and Day, along with a service ace from Adler, kept CUC ahead, 21-19. Perkins and Day would each register another kill, but the Bells found a way back to take the set, 25-23. Saint Mary's won the match 3-0.
What's Next
The Cougars will play another non-conference match on Tuesday, October 13 at 7:00 pm. They will head to Elmhurst University. Coverage for all things CUC women's volleyball can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.
