The Gustavus volleyball team fell to #4 ranked Concordia College 3-1 Friday evening in St. Peter. The Cobbers won the first two games (30-15, 30-19) but the Gusties rallied to win the third game 30-28. However, Concordia stormed back to win the fourth game 30-21 and the match. Gustavus falls to 15-8 overall and 6-2 in the MIAC, while the Cobbers improve to 19-1 overall and 8-0 in the conference.
Concordia got off to a fast start in the match by winning six of the first seven points. The Gusties struggled to put together a consistent attack while the Cobbers were hitting on all cylinders and jumped to a 17-5 lead. Concordia extended its lead to 28-13 when Angie Bonde stroked a kill down the sideline. Gustavus scored two points but the Cobbers won the final two points to close out the game 30-15.
The Cobbers got off to another quick start in game two jumping out to a 4-0 lead. The Gusties won four of the next five points trimming the lead to 4-5. Gustavus fought to stay close and trailed 15-11, midway through the second game. The Cobbers, however, would score seven of the next eight points to take a commanding 22-12 lead. Concordia claimed game two in convincing fashion, 30-19.
After jumping out to big leads in the first two games Concordia was held in check in game three and the Gusties held their first lead of the match when they forged ahead 3-2. Neither team could take a commanding lead as both squads made big plays to limit any long scoring runs. With the score 13-13, Jennifer Thelemann (Jr., Le Sueur, Minn.) recorded a big kill to put the Gusties up by one and it seemed to give the Gusties confidence. Gustavus found themselves in the lead, 27-25, when Andrea Kron (Jr., Cold Spring, Minn.) recorded a decisive kill. Concordia won the next two points to tie the score, then the Gusties won two straight to go ahead 29-27. The Cobbers cut the lead to 29-28 before Bridget Burtzel (So., Cold Spring, Minn.) set up Thelemann for the game-winning kill, which allowed the Gusties to claim game three 30-28.
Game four started much like game three with neither team able to gain more than a two points lead in the early stages. The Cobbers, however, took charge of the decisive fourth game by recording five straight points to take a commanding 18-10 lead. The Gusties rallied to cut the lead to four at 19-15. However, the Cobbers bounced right back winning seven of the next nine points to take a 26-17 lead. The Gusties would get no closer than nine points the rest of the game and the Cobbers closed out the match with a 30-21 victory.
Kron led the Gusties with 17 kills, while Thelemann contributed 16. Burtzel had 42 set assists and 20 digs, and Emily Klein (So., Red Wing, Minn.) had 23 digs. Michelle Honek led Concordia in kills with 19, while Katlin Anderson had 27 set assists and Jill Hance had 25. Anna Walden led the Cobbers in digs with 21.
Gustavus will next play Macalester in St. Paul on Wednesday, October 18 at 7:00pm.