(August 23, 2008 - Ann Arbor, Mich.) -- The Concordia volleyball team was one set away from beginning the 2008 season with a 4-0 mark after the first weekend, but a rally by the Bears of Shawnee State turned a 2-1 deficit to a 3-2 win sending the Cardinals to their first loss of the season. Despite the loss, Concordia started strong with three straight wins as they hosted the Concordia Cardinal Kick-Off Classic to begin the '08 campaign with a 3-1 overall mark.

The tournament started on Friday afternoon with Concordia hosting the Warriors of Rochester College. After the first two sets finished with identical 25-16 scores in favor of Concordia, a win seemed easily at hand for the Cardinals. But Rochester rallied back to edge the Cards 26-24 in the third set and pushed the match the full five after a 25-23 win in set four. Concordia was able to hang on with a 15-13 win to pick up the victory.

While Concordia rested after the first match, Rochester continued on with a meeting with Shawnee State. After a tremendous first set - won by the Bears 30-28 - Rochester seemed a little taxed in set two and fell 25-16 giving Shawnee State a 2-0 lead. After a Warrior win in the third set, it appeared that Rochester was going to continue their trend of dropping the first two but forcing all five sets. The effort was for naught as Shawnee picked up a 25-19 win in the fourth set for the win. Rochester ended Friday with an 0-2 record in the tournament.

On the adjoining court, Purdue-North Central had little trouble with Taylor-Ft. Wayne - save for a close second set - as the Panthers swept their match 25-13, 27-25, 25-16.

TFW would take on the host Cardinals and with Concordia entering with a win and the Falcons fresh off a decisive defeat that their meeting would be one-sided. But Taylor came out ready to play taking the first set 25-21. Concordia had to dig deep in the second set as well, eventually prevailing with a 25-22 victory. The final two sets were statements by the Cardinals as they blasted the visitors 25-12, 25-6 to finish the night with a 2-0 mark, while TFW remained winless at 0-2.

Shawnee State played superlative in their match against Purdue-North Central, as the Bears kept pace with Concordia with two wins after a 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 victory over the Panthers, who fell to 1-1 to close out Friday's matches.

Saturday opened with Concordia and PNC taking the court and after the two teams split a spirited pair of games - Concordia winning the first 25-20 while Purdue-North Central took the second 25-16 - Concordia would rally late in the third set to pull away 25-22 before finishing off the Panthers with a classic battle in the fourth to win 26-24 and take the match.

Shawnee continued to roll as the quickly dispensed Taylor-Ft. Wayne in straight sets 25-19, 25-16, 25-21.

PNC finished off their weekend with a win over Rochester, despite the Warriors outplaying the Panthers throughout. Rochester, however, was unable to hold a large lead in the first set, falling 26-24 before winning the next two sets setting themselves up for their first win of the season. However, Purdue-North Central won the fourth set 25-20 and finished off the comeback with a 15-9 win to finish the weekend even up at 2-2.

Shawnee State and Concordia would do battle with equal 3-0 marks and the meeting was a great tune-up for the conference schedule. Shawnee took the first set 25-16 in decisive fashion, but the Cards put together strong efforts in the next two sets winning 25-17, 25-19. However, a nine-point run midway through the fourth set extended the Bears lead to 10 and the Cardinals couldn't rebound falling 25-20. Shawnee State completed the victory with a fifth-set 15-12 win.

The Bears finished 4-0, with Concordia falling to 3-1.

The final match of the weekend featured two winless teams and the squads went the distance before Rochester picked up the win over Taylor-Ft. Wayne. The Warriors dropped the first set 25-20 before evening the match at 1-1 with a 25-16 win in the second. The third was an exciting affair with Rochester pulling away for a 28-26 victory. The Lady Falcons kept the action going with a 25-19 win forcing the fifth set, before Rochester won easily 15-7 to close out the weekend.

1. Shawnee State University: 4-0

2. Concordia University: 3-1

3. Purdue University-North Central: 2-2

4. Rochester College: 1-3

5. Taylor University-Ft. Wayne: 0-4

Tiffany Dailey, Shawnee State University (libero)

Becca Day, Shawnee State University

Shawna Dorton, Concordia University

Ashley Gallant, Purdue University-North Central

Kayla Lawrence, Rochester College

Denise Lehman, Taylor University-Ft. Wayne

Heather Koehler, Shawnee State University