Falcons Down the Warriors in Four Sets

Written by CUW Student Assistant Lance Schulteis

WAUWATOSA, Wis. - The Concordia Wisconsin women's volleyball improved to 9-2 in conference play on Thursday night, downing Wisconsin Lutheran by a 3-1 margin. The win represented Concordia's fourth consecutive over the Warriors, who dropped to 8-15 on the season.

The two squads remained within range of each other for nearly the entire first set, as neither team extended a lead past three points. The Falcons would begin to inch towards victory in the set, pulling ahead 20-18. However, Wisconsin Lutheran would immediately go on a 5-0 run to not only put an end to Concordia's lead but also put itself in prime position to take the frame. Falcons' senior Maycee Karpfinger (Wauwatosa, Wis.) collected a kill to draw within two, but the effort would fall short as the Warriors would pick up points on the next two rallies to take a 25-21 victory.

The second set would develop extremely differently, which saw staggered runs from both teams put points on the scoreboard, albeit on one side at a time. Wisconsin Lutheran jumped out to 7-3 and 10-6 advantages in the set, and would later go on a 4-1 run to take a commanding 14-8 lead. Concordia would answer with a momentum swing of its own, as a 6-0 run evened the score at fourteen. The next few rallies would be traded back and forth, but the Warriors would then go on a 6-1 outburst to take a 23-19 lead, poised to take yet another set away from the Falcons. Concordia would respond with a dominant stretch to not only tie but take the set, clinching a 26-24 victory. Sophomores Paige Stickney (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) and Jaydin Vosters (Neenah, Wis.), as well as Karpfinger, would all collect kills on the team's 7-1 closing run.

The Falcons' momentum would not be hindered as the match extended into the third set, as the team put together three runs of four consecutive points en route to a 25-13 victory. Junior Emma Essex (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) and sophomore Abby Proefrock (Grafton, Wis.) collected service aces in the set, contributing to Concordia's consistently strong presence from the service line.

The Warriors were able to keep pace for the majority of the third set, leading as late as 17-14 after Bailey Halliburton, Kayla Wigley, and Shannon Rusch collected multiple kills in the frame. Concordia would respond with a 5-0 run to pull ahead by two, a stretch highlighted by a pair of kills from Brenna Bienek. After the Warriors collected a pair of points to even the score, the Falcons put the game away. Six of the next seven rallies went Concordia's way as the team collected a 25-20 victory in the set to seal the contest.

The win marked Concordia's 10th consecutive season with nine or more conference victories, a tally that it will look to add upon in its next match against Aurora on Saturday, October 28.