MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia Wisconsin men's volleyball team picked up a key victory in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings on Thursday night against Marian. The Falcons secured a 29-31, 25-15, 25-14, 25-20 victory over the Sabres to improve to 6-14 on the year and back into the playoff picture into a five-way tie for fifth place at 4-5.
The Falcons took an early lead in what turned out to be an exhausting battle in the first set. A kill from Chase Ammons gave the Falcons a 12-7 lead. The Sabres tied the match at 14, but the Falcons repelled the Sabres for the moment. After CUW had pushed the lead to 23-21, the Sabres won the next three points to earn a set point. A kill from senior Logan Kebisek (Brookfield, Wis.) gave the Falcons their own set point, but the Sabres were able to fight it off. Both teams had two more set points, but Marian claimed the set at 31-29. There were 17 ties in the first set and eight lead changes.
The serve of Logan Kebisek gave the Falcons an early 3-0 lead that they never surrendered. The Falcons ballooned the lead to 10 points at 23-13 with a kill from junior Chase Ammons (Elm Grove, Wis.), and a service error gave the Falcons a 25-15 victory.
Logan Kebisek silenced the Sabres with an early 6-0 start to the set with his serve. Marian closed the gap to 13-12, but a kill from junior Tate Miller (Anthem, Ariz.) fended off the cats. The Falcons closed the set with a 12-2 run to end the set at 25-14.
The Sabres held the lead for a majority of the start of the fourth set. A kill from Tate Miller broke the tie at 13-12. A 4-0 run with the serve of senior Kellen Gonzales (Milwaukee, Wis.) handed CUW a 17-13 lead. A kill from Kellen Gonzales ended the match at 25-20.
Tate Miller led the Falcons with 17 kills on Thursday, with freshman Reid Scott (Chandler, Ariz.) securing 13 kills.
Logan Kebisek collected 45 assists in the victory.
Defensively, Kellen Gonzales led the flock with 12 digs and Chase Ammons had seven blocks.
The Blue and White finished with a season-best eight service aces, tying the performance at American International.
The Falcons close the four-match homestand on Saturday afternoon against Edgewood. The Eagles fly east at 7-12 and are in 10th place at 4-6.
