Falcons Flame Firebirds in Four Sets

KENOSHA, Wis. – On Wednesday, the Concordia University Wisconsin women's volleyball team improved to 4-4 overall with a four-set triumph over Carthage, with scores of 25-21, 25-16, 19-25, and 25-15.

In the first set, the Falcons quickly established a 10-5 lead, courtesy of a kill from junior Skylar Kumprey (New Berlin, Wis.) set up by McKenna Oetzman (Reedsburg, Wis.). Concordia maintained a slim lead, going up 17-14 after a strong swing from junior Noelle Smith (Davenport, Iowa). Senior Anna Bohrer (Verona, Wis.) contributed two crucial kills, helping the Falcons secure the set 25-21 as Carthage committed three consecutive errors to close out the set.

The second set followed a similar pattern. Concordia took an early 10-5 lead with an ace from junior Mickenzi Benter (De Pere, Wis.) and a couple of Carthage errors. The Falcons intensified their pressure, scoring six straight points to extend their lead to 16-5. During this stretch, contributions came from Kumprey, Bohrer, and another ace by Benter. Freshman Kayla Mulder (Whitehall, Mich.), on a pass from Oetzman pushed the lead to 20-13. The set would ultimately end behind the service ace of Mickenzi Benter, giving CUW the 25-16 win.

The Firebirds responded in the third set, gaining a 13-7 advantage over CUW. Despite Concordia's efforts to close the gap, Carthage held their lead and won 25-19, making it two sets to one.

In the fourth set, the Falcons steadily pulled away, moving from a tight 5-4 lead to a commanding 16-7 advantage. Contributions from Mulder, Kumprey, and Smith, along with an ace from junior Abby Proefrock (Grafton, Wis.), highlighted this stretch. Benter's two additional service aces further extended the lead to 21-9. A final kill from Mulder capped off the set at 25-15, sealing the match for CUW.

Skylar Kumprey led the Falcons with 12 kills, while Mickenzi Benter added 10 kills on a .318 hitting percentage. Benter also recorded a triple-double with 16 assists, 11 digs, two solo blocks, and six service aces. Oetzman contributed 18 assists, and Noelle Smith added two solo blocks. Defensively, junior Abby Proefrock led with 16 digs, while Benter and Smith each had two solo blocks.

The Falcons will aim to continue their strong play when they face the nationally ranked Millikin team at UW-Whitewater on Friday.