RIVER FALLS, Wis. — The Concordia University Wisconsin volleyball team came out firing Saturday, sweeping Lake Forest College before battling host UW-River Falls in a competitive three-set match at Don Page Arena.
The Falcons opened the day in dominant fashion, cruising past Lake Forest, 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-21), before River Falls claimed the second match, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-22). Concordia Wisconsin finished the day with a 1-1 record and moved to 4-3 overall.
In match one, the Falcons wasted little time setting the tone in their first match of the day, putting together one of their strongest offensive performances of the young season.
Concordia Wisconsin racked up 40 kills while hitting .359 as a team, steadily increasing its offensive efficiency throughout the sweep. The Falcons hit .286 in the first set, .407 in the second and an impressive .435 in the third.
Set 1:
CUW jumped out to a strong start, collecting 15 kills while limiting itself to just three attack errors. The Falcons hit .286 and took the opening set, 25-20.
Lauren Kellner helped lead the charge offensively as the Falcons established their rhythm and grabbed the early 1-0 advantage.
Set 2:
The Falcons turned up the pressure in the second set.
CUW's offense exploded for a .407 hitting percentage while Lake Forest struggled to find its rhythm, hitting -.086. Concordia Wisconsin committed just one attack error in the frame and rolled to a 25-15 victory.
With the Falcons now holding a 2-0 lead, they were one set away from completing the sweep.
Set 3:
Lake Forest made the final set competitive, but the Falcons answered with their best offensive showing of the match.
Concordia Wisconsin posted 13 kills on just three errors, hitting a blistering .435 to close out the sweep with a 25-21 victory.
Emily Dickmann kept the offense moving with 34 assists, while Emy Miller anchored the back row with 16 digs. Vogel added five digs and two service aces.
In match two, the Falcons then turned their attention to the host Falcons of UW-River Falls, looking to carry their offensive momentum into the afternoon.
River Falls ultimately came away with a 3-0 victory, but CUW continued to battle, particularly in the final two sets, which were both decided by just three points.
River Falls finished with 41 kills and hit .216, while Concordia Wisconsin recorded 33 kills and a .123 hitting percentage.
Set 1:
River Falls grabbed the early advantage with a 25-18 opening-set victory.
The Falcons recorded eight kills in the frame, while River Falls used a 13-kill performance to establish a 1-0 lead.
Set 2:
CUW answered with its strongest offensive set of the match.
The Falcons erupted for 15 kills and hit .231, but River Falls countered with 14 kills while hitting .279 to hold off the CUW push and take the second set, 25-22.
The Falcons remained within striking distance heading into the third.
Set 3:
CUW continued to fight in the third set, but River Falls once again found a way to close out the frame, 25-22, completing the sweep.
Kirsten Krause led Concordia Wisconsin with nine kills, while Kellner and Stewart each added eight. Vogel turned in a strong defensive performance with 16 digs, and Dickmann finished with 27 assists.
Despite the final result, the Falcons kept the pressure on River Falls throughout the final two sets, with both ending in 25-22 decisions.
Emily Dickmann directed the offense with 34 assists in the opening match and followed with 27 assists against River Falls. On Saturday, she recorded her 1000th career assist in the second match. Vogel provided a defensive spark with 16 digs in the afternoon match.
The Falcons now hold a 4-3 overall record after a full day of competition at River Falls and return to action Wednesday, September 16 at 7 pm in Stevens Point, Wisconsin to take on the Wis.-Steven Points Pointers.
