Photo by Sam Dunn
Photo by Sam Dunn

Volleyball drops pair of difficult non-conference matches

WAUKESHA, Wis. – Concordia Wisconsin faced stiff competition on Saturday and dropped a 3-1 match to host Carroll (22-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-23) before being swept by 17th-ranked UW-Eau Claire 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-22) inside Van Male Fieldhouse.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Carroll 3, Concordia Wisconsin 1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-23); UW-Eau Claire 3, Concordia Wisconsin 0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-22)
Location: Van Male Fieldhouse (Waukesha, Wis.)
Records: Concordia Wisconsin 11-4, Carroll 14-4, UW-Eau Claire 16-1

HOW IT HAPPENED
Carroll 3, Concordia Wisconsin 1
- It was safe to say the match was close, as there were 38 scoring ties and 17 lead changes.
- Concordia Wisconsin was able to take the opening set after putting together a 4-1 scoring run that included a pair of kills by senior Amanda Schultz (North Prairie, Wis.) to win 25-22.
- Despite leading 13-7 in the early going, the Falcons lead slowly slipped away until the Pioneers scored the final three points to even the match at one set apiece.
- Concordia Wisconsin put up a tough effort by scoring four-consecutive points in the late stages of set three, but an eight-point deficit before the run began was too much and they lost 25-20. The fourth stanza belonged to neither team, as there were 10 scoring ties and three lead changes. Carroll eventually scored the final two points on kills to win the match 3-1.
- Junior Megan Mayer (Downers Grove, Ill.) had 16 kills and 11 digs, while senior Amanda Schultz (North Prairie, Wis.) and junior Holly Anderson (Grant Park, Ill.) had 10 kills each. The setting duo of Wockenfus and Sedo combined for 40 assists.
- Junior Kelsey Kleba (Hartland, Wis.) had five block assists, while Schultz and freshman Sophia Collins (Lake Mills, Wis.) tallied three block assists each.
- Kylie Mueller led Carroll with 13 kills, while Emma Przeslicke and Jennilyn Joy Cave each had 20 assists. A trio of Pioneers had double-digit digs.

No. 17 UW-Eau Claire 3, Concordia Wisconsin 0
- The concluding match of the afternoon for the Falcons was against a battle with 33 scoring ties and 14 lead changes, despite the final outcome in favor of UW-Eau Claire. The Blugolds are ranked 17th nationally in the latest AVCA poll.
- The Falcons overcome a 22-19 deficit to tie the match at 22-all before the Blugolds scored three of the last four points to take the tight opening first set, 25-22.
- Again, it was neck-and-neck with the scoreboard reading 17 points for each team in the later stages of the second frame. UW-Eau Claire used its experience to put together an 8-1 scoring run to take it 25-18 and own a 2-0 lead in the match.
- The third set was a repeat of the first two, as Concordia Wisconsin led 22-21 before UW-Eau Claire compiled four unanswered points to earn a set win and overall sweep in the match.
- Mayer had a team-high nine kills, while Sedo and Wockenfus each had 15 assists. Freshman Madelyn Alton (Custer Park, Ill.) tallied 16 digs.
- UW-Eau Claire was led by Madelyn Pashibin's 15 kills and Madison Surprise's 31 assists and 12 digs.

NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE
- Concordia Wisconsin returns to NACC action on Tuesday with a 7 pm match at Rockford.