(November 6, 2008 - Ann Arbor, Mich.) -- The 2008 volleyball season began with great promise before a month of struggles began for the Concordia Cardinals. But all was forgotten as the team came together in the season finale and swept away the Saints of Siena Heights. Seniors Erica Manning (Sr. - St. Johns, Mich.) and Shawna Dorton (Sr. - Lincoln Park, Mich.) were honored in their last games of their career.

On the court, the Cardinals had to battle to the bitter end in the first set to emerge with a 29-27 victory. The second and third sets, by comparison, were much easier with Concordia prevailing 25-20 and 25-17, respectively.

Ashley Hart (Fr. - Birmingham, Mich.) had a team-high 12 kills for Concordia while Dorton followed with 11 of her own. Dorton finishes her career with 1,161 kills, third best all-time in Cardinal history. Sarah Iverson (So. - Grass Lake, Mich.) had eight kills, with Daniell Guss (Fr. - Lambertville, Mich.) adding six and Kara Young (Fr. - Belding, Mich.) and Manning each having five. For Manning, she finishes her career with 923 kills, good for fifth all-time.

Siena Heights didn't have anyone with double figures in kills as Sara Ullenbruch lead the Saints with eight.

Shilo Stewart (Jr. - Brighton, Mich.) and Ashley Zair (Jr. - West Bloomfield, Mich.) combined to perform the setting duties for Concordia with Stewart finishing with 20 assists, while Zair added 18.

Bridget Murphy and Kylee Snyder shared the setter role for Siena Heights with Murphy ending the night with 13 assists and Snyder 10.

Defensively, the Cards were lead Youngs and Guss, who each had nine digs. Rachel Heaton (Fr. - Ann Arbor, Mich.) added eight to the Concordia cause. Ullenbruch paced the Saint defense with seven digs.

For the seniors Manning and Dorton, they finish their careers with their names etched in several record books, including the aforementioned career kill list.

Manning ends with 95 career solo blocks, which is fourth all-time for a career. Manning also owns the block assist record at Concordia, finishing with 264 with Dorton finishing in second all-time for the category with her career of 207. The previous high had been 177 by Sarah Riske (Class of '97).

Dorton's 413 kills this season move her to ninth for a season passing Betsy Stump's 1994 mark of 410.

Manning absolutely crushed the season record for block assists, which was just set last year by former Cardinal Erin Walczak with 105. Manning finished the season with 124 block assists. Dorton finished in fourth with 97 this year with Hart grabbing the third position with 105.

For now, the returning players will look to use their experience this year to develop and push the program toward and past the 20-win plateau in 2009.