(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia volleyball played host to Rochester College on Wednesday night for a WHAC conference matchup. CUAA entered looking to avenge a loss to the Warriors earlier this season. The Cardinals played with high energy throughout the game and cruised to a 3-0 victory over Rochester, securing the team's first WHAC win.
Kylie Frank (SR/Chelsea, MI) finished with a team-leading 23 assists along with 14 digs. Delaney Bennett (JR/Fruitport, MI) led Concordia with 17 kills in the game. Madelyn Kragt (SO/Grand Rapids, MI) recorded a team-high 5 block assists in the contest. Janie Bunge (SR/Ottawa Lake, MI) led the Cardinals with 17 digs in the match. Hailey McCourt (SO/Toledo, OH) finished with 20 assists, Lena Thompson (JR/Howard City, MI) chipped in 14 kills, and Tara Schatzle (SO/Brooklyn, MI) contributed 14 digs in the game.
Set 1 – CUAA 25, Rochester 18
A kill from Nadia Rozmarniewicz (SR/Pinckney, MI) began a 4-0 CUAA run to start the 1st set. Tara Schatzle made a clutch dig that set up a kill by Delaney Bennett to make it a 5-1 game. Lena Thompson recorded kills on 3 of the next 4 Concordia points, and a service ace from Hailey McCourt put the Cardinals up 10-5.
A tricky flip over the net from McCourt made the score 13-9. Madelyn Kragt combined with Lena Thompson and Delaney Bennett for a pair of blocks and then made a kill to put CUAA up 20-13. After a 4 straight Rochester points, Gabrielle den Boer (SO/Canton, MI) made a thunderous kill to begin a 5-1 Concordia run. Hailey McCourt secured the winning kill with a high floating hit that found the back line.
Set 2 – CUAA 25, Rochester 22
Gabrielle den Boer scored Concordia's first point with a well-placed kill in the far right corner. Rochester went up 4-1 early, but Lena Thompson and Delaney Bennett combined for the next 4 Concordia points off sets from Kylie Frank. Both teams continued to battle in a set which featured 8 tie scores. With the game tied 12-12, Delaney Bennett recorded a kill to give Concordia their first lead of the 2nd set.
The game would be tied again 17-17 late in the set, but the Warriors used a 4-0 run to take what appeared to be a commanding 21-17 lead. However, the Cardinals fought back with an 8-1 run to win the set. Gabrielle den Boer, Nadia Rozmarniewicz, and Delaney Bennett all recorded kills down the stretch with Hailey McCourt setting up 7 of the 8 points.
Set 3 – CUAA 25, Rochester 23
Delaney Bennett notched a kill to score Concordia's first point in the 3rd set. A series of attack errors by Rochester helped the Cardinals jump out to an 8-1 lead. The Warriors battled back, keeping the game within several points for most of the set and tying the match 15-15.
The Cardinal hitters continued to be efficient behind the sets of Kylie Frank and Hailey McCourt, and the team held a 22-19 lead late in the game. Rochester fought back again, scoring 4 straight points to lead for the first time in the 3rd set at 23-22. However, the Cardinals dug deep and used a 3-0 run to finish off the match. Delaney Bennett made the winning kill on a set from Janie Bunge, giving the Cardinals their first WHAC win of the season.
Concordia will play their next match on Saturday, September 20 when they travel to rival Siena Heights. The game is set to begin at 1pm.
