Falcons March Past MSOE

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Concordia Wisconsin women's volleyball team moved into a tie for first place in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings on Thursday night. The Falcons rumbled over the Raiders with a 25-22, 26-24, 25-16 victory to improve to 11-9 and 6-1 in the NACC.

The first set was a back-and-forth battle between both teams. The Falcons posted an early 5-2 lead in the first set. The Raiders responded with a run of their own and posted a two-point lead on eight occasions. The Falcons reclaimed the lead at 23-22 with a kill from junior Mickenzi Benter (De Pere, Wis.). The Falcons claimed the set at 25-22 on a service ace from junior Abby Proefrock (Grafton, Wis.).

The Falcons jumped out to an early 4-0 lead behind the serve of freshman McKenna Oetzman (Reedsburg, Wis.). A kill from sophomore Emily Dickmann (Grafton, Wis.) gave the Falcons their biggest lead of the set at 10-5. The Raiders rallied and captured the lead at 16-15. The Birds ballooned a small lead to 22-20 with a kill from junior Paige Stickney (Menomonee Falls, Wis.). Concordia had three set points in the second set and finally ended the set at 26-24 with a kill from junior Noelle Smith (Davenport, Iowa).

Both teams kept it close at the start of the third set. With the set tied at 12, the Falcons finally broke free and cruised to a 13-4 run to finish off the Raiders.

Paige Stickney led the Falcons with nine kills against the Raiders with a 0.368 hitting percentage and three solo blocks.

The Birds' back row gobbled up the digs on Thursday with 81 digs in the three-set match. Junior Brianna Lundt (Brandon, Wis.) led the effort with 25, while senior Emma Essex (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) had 15 and Abby Proefrock finished with 14.

Noelle Smith and Abby Proefrock landed two service aces in the victory. Emily Dickmann and McKenna Oetzman both had 15 assists at MSOE.

With Edgewood defeating Aurora on Thursday, 3-0, the Falcons move into a five-way tie for first place with Aurora, Benedictine, Edgewood and St. Norbert.

The Falcons will travel to Concordia Chicago on Saturday for a first serve scheduled for noon.