LISLE, Ill. - The Concordia University Wisconsin men's volleyball team concluded the road portion of its regular season on Wednesday night at Benedictine, facing off against the Eagles, who entered the matchup with an impressive 8-2 conference record.
Despite staying competitive throughout the match, the Falcons could not secure a road win, ultimately falling in four sets. The set scores were 17-25, 19-25, 25-22, and 20-25, which dropped Concordia's overall record to 6-16 and their Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) record to 4-7.
The Eagles controlled the first set, quickly building an early lead and never looking back, claiming a 25-17 victory over Concordia.
In the second set, the Blue and White initially held the advantage. The Falcons took an early 5-3 lead, powered by three kills from freshman Reid Scott (Chandler, Ariz.).
However, Benedictine slowly worked their way back, eventually taking a 15-10 lead. They carried that momentum through the remainder of the set, finishing with a 25-19 win.
Determined to fight back, the Falcons bounced back in the third set. After taking an early 7-2 lead, thanks to contributions from junior Tate Miller (Anthem, Ariz.), junior Chase Ammons (Brookfield, Wis.), senior Logan Kebisek (Brookfield, Wis.), and freshman Owen Kolozsy (Carol Stream, Ill.), Concordia held on to secure a 25-22 win.
The Eagles continued challenging the Falcons throughout the set but never managed to tie the game as Concordia eventually extended its lead to 20-16. The Falcons would secure the third set, 25-22, with the final five points coming from Benedictine errors and kills from Scott and junior Lucas Beres (Germantown, Wis.).
The fourth set saw the most drama, featuring eight ties and three lead changes.
Concordia held the advantage through the middle of the set, going up 15-12 after a kill from Kolozsy. However, Benedictine rallied, and after several ties at 16, 17, and 18 points, the Eagles made a final push, claiming a 24-19 lead. Despite the Falcons' best efforts, they could not overcome the deficit, falling 25-20 and losing the match in four sets.
Reid Scott led the Falcons with 14 kills, while Tate Miller posted a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs. Junior Parker Pearson (Keller, Texas) contributed 11 digs, and Lucas Beres added a team-high five blocks, including one solo block. Logan Kebisek facilitated the offense with 21 assists, while freshman Hayden Hurley (Gilbert, Ariz.) tallied 16.
Looking ahead, the Falcons will close out their regular season at home, hosting the Regents of Rockford for Senior Day.
