Falcons Fall to SNC in Conference Opener

DE PERE, Wis. - The Concordia University Wisconsin men's volleyball team opened up Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play on Tuesday night with a road match against St. Norbert College.

Despite a strong effort, the Falcons were defeated 1-3, with set scores of 16-25, 18-25, 25-22, and 23-25, dropping their overall record to 2-10 and 0-1 in conference play.

St. Norbert wasted no time establishing control in the first set, racing to a 10-5 lead after a 5-0 run. The Green Knights extended their advantage to 20-10 and closed out the set 25-16.

For CUW, freshmen Reid Scott (Chandler, Ariz.) and Owen Kolozsy (Carol Stream, Ill.) were the standout players. Scott recorded five kills on a .364 hitting percentage and a block assist, while Kolozsy added four kills and a .375 hitting percentage.

The second set was a back-and-forth battle, with eight ties and five lead changes. However, St. Norbert would take a 2-0 lead in the match, winning 25-18. The Falcons tied the score at 14-all thanks to a kill from junior Chase Ammons (Elm Grove, Wis.).

But the Green Knights responded with a run, eventually taking the set 25-18.

Senior Lucas Beres (Germantown, Wis.) recorded a solo block and two kills on a .500 hitting percentage in that second set.

CUW fought back in the third set, winning 25-22.

The Falcons led early, with Reid Scott's kill putting them up 7-4. St. Norbert fought back to tie it at 12-12 and 13-13, but the Falcons regained the lead, 19-16, after a block by Beres and junior Tate Miller (Anthem, Ariz.). 

The set stayed tight, with SNC pulling ahead 20-19. However, Scott answered with a kill to tie it at 20-all, and Kolozsy made key back-to-back kills to keep the score tied at 22-22.

Scott then took over, scoring the set's final three points with two kills and an ace to seal the 25-22 victory.

In a thrilling fourth set, which featured 15 ties and four lead changes, the Green Knights held on for a 25-22 win to take the match. With the score knotted at 20-20 after a kill from Miller off an assist by freshman Hayden Hurley (Gilbert, Ariz.), St. Norbert took control late and secured the fourth set 25-23.

Reid Scott led the Falcons with a team-high 16 kills, three blocks, and two aces. He also posted nine digs. 

Owen Kolozsy added 11 kills on a .360 hitting percentage, plus two blocks. 

Freshman Hayden Hurley dished out a team-high 23 assists, while junior Parker Pearson (Keller, Texas) recorded 19 digs, with Tate Miller adding 12 digs.

The Falcons will continue their road stretch with three more conference matches before returning home to the R. John Buuck Fieldhouse. The next contest is scheduled for this Saturday at Illinois Tech.