AUBURNDALE, Mass. - The Concordia University Wisconsin men's volleyball team continued their East Coast trip on Saturday, competing in two matches against the Sage Gators and the nationally ranked Lasell Lasers. The Falcons split their matches, earning a convincing 3-0 victory over Sage before falling to Lasell in three sets.
Following the weekend, the Falcons' record stands at 2-4 overall.
In their first match of the day, the Falcons made quick work of the Sage Gators, sweeping them 3-0 with scores of 25-12, 25-14, and 25-22. Junior Tate Miller (Anthem, Ariz.) spearheaded the attack, recording five kills with a .714 attack percentage in the first set. The Falcons stormed out to an early lead, winning the first five points, three of which came from Miller's swings.
Later in the set, junior Chase Ammons (Elm Grove, Wis.) and freshman Scott Reid (Chandler, Ariz.) teamed up for a block to maintain their advantage.
A series of Gator errors helped the Falcons extend their lead to 19-9, and freshman Owen Kolozsy (Carol Stream, Ill.) put the finishing touches on set one with a kill and a service ace, sealing a 25-12 win.
The second set was more competitive, with the teams tying at 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3 early on. However, CUW gradually pulled away, thanks to perfect attacking from Kolozsy, senior Lucas Beres (Germantown, Wis.), Miller, and Ammons. By the time the Falcons led 10-5, they had seized control of the set.
Kolozsy and Ammons kept the momentum going, and junior Logan Kebisek (Brookfield, Wis.) added a clever dump to put CUW up 22-12. Beres contributed a kill, and Sage errors helped the Falcons secure a 25-14 victory.
The third set saw Sage fight back, pushing the Falcons to the brink with 16 ties and four lead changes. Junior Will Wood (Savage, Minn.) recorded a set-high four kills, including a crucial kill to put CUW up 21-20. After a tie at 21-21, Ammons and Wood combined for a block to give the Falcons the lead.
Wood's fourth kill of the set, along with a Gator attacking error, clinched a 25-22 win and the 3-0 sweep.
Miller finished with a team-high nine kills on a .643 attack percentage, while Kebisek contributed 20 assists. Wood hit .800 with four kills, while Ammons added four kills on a .667 attack percentage. Beres posted a high hitting percentage of .857 with six kills, and Kolozsy had seven kills. Defensively, Ammons led with four blocks, and Miller recorded 14 digs.
The Falcons then faced off against the nationally ranked Lasell Lasers, who would ultimately take the match in three sets: 26-28, 21-25, and 20-25.
The first set was an intense battle, featuring 13 ties and eight lead changes, as neither team could build a substantial lead. Reid Scott (Chandler, Ariz.) had an impressive start with five kills, keeping the Falcons in the set. However, the Lasers eked out a 28-26 win in extra points to take a 1-0 lead.
Lasell carried their momentum into the second set, jumping out to an early 7-3 lead. The Falcons fought back to tie it at 12-12 after a kill from Scott and an error from Lasell's offense. The teams stayed close, with CUW trailing by just one at 18-17. But after a Lasell timeout, the Lasers regrouped and pulled away to win the set 25-21.
The third set followed a similar pattern, with the teams staying within striking distance of each other until Lasell surged ahead to lead 19-13. The Falcons mounted a mini-comeback with freshmen Parker Butterfass (Shakopee, Minn.) and Hayden Hurley (Chandler, Ariz.) combining for key kills.
Scott and Kolozsy contributed to the effort, and a block from Ammons and Scott cut the deficit to 20-23. However, the comeback fell short, and Lasell held on to win 25-20, completing the 3-0 sweep.
Scott led the Falcons with 15 kills and a .379 attack percentage, while Kebisek recorded 23 assists. Ammons once again anchored the defense with five blocks, and Kolozsy posted a team-high nine digs.
The Falcons will look to bounce back from their losses as they continue their East Coast trip, eager to build on their performance and improve as the season progresses.
