Falcons Sink St. Norbert in NACC Semifinals

MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia Wisconsin women's volleyball won a five-set thriller over St. Norbert in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Women's Volleyball Conference Tournament Semifinals. The Falcons kept the season alive with an 18-25, 25-13, 25-16, 22-25, 15-12 victory over the Green Knights. The victory propels Concordia to 18-10 on the season.

The Green Knights took the momentum to start the first set on Thursday and held a 4-2 lead. The Green and Gold elevated the lead to 20-13 late in the set. A kill from sophomore Skylar Kumprey (New Berlin, Wis.) clipped the lead to 21-17, but SNC secured the first point of the match at 25-18.

The Falcons flipped the script on St. Norbert in the second set. After trailing, 0-3, the Falcons stormed back with the next six points behind the serve of senior Emma Essex (Hoffman Estates, Ill.). The Falcons kept inching away from St. Norbert and a kill from junior Noelle Smith (Davenport, Iowa) pushed the lead up to 19-10. An attacking error ended the set for the Green Knights at 25-13. After hitting 0.308 in the first set, SNC hit -0.184 in the second set. Junior Mickenzi Benter (De Pere, Wis.) blasted the Green Knights with five blocks in the set.

With the third set tied at four, the Falcons took the lead and never gave it back. The serve of Emma Essex once again gave the Green and Gold issues and propped the Falcons up with a 16-9 lead. Skylar Kumprey ended the third set with a 25-16 victory.

The Green Knights kept the match alive with a wire-to-wire lead in the fourth set. After quickly taking a 4-0 lead, SNC added to the lead and held a 13-7 lead. The Falcons clawed away at the deficit and cut the SNC lead to 16-14. Leading 23-18, CUW once again fought back and pushed the score to 22-24 with a service ace from freshman McKenna Oetzman (Reedsburg, Wis.), but St. Norbert forced a fifth set with a kill on the next play.

The serve of McKenna Oetzman gave the Falcons a 3-0 cushion to start the fifth set and a service ace from Emma Essex gave the Falcons a 6-2 lead. St. Norbert stormed back and cut the Concordia lead to 7-6. The two teams exchanged points and the Falcons held an 11-10 lead late. A kill from junior Paige Stickney (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) gave the Falcons some separation and a kill from senior Anna Bohrer (Verona, Wis.) gave the Falcons a 14-10 lead. A service error from Maddie Kitowski ended the match at 15-12 and punched the Falcons' ticket to the NACC Tournament Finals.

The Falcons held a 14-4 advantage in blocks on Thursday. Paige Stickney, Noelle Smith and Anna Bohrer all had six blocks in the victory.

Mickenzi Benter stuffed the stat sheet with 11 kills, six assists, six digs and five blocks.

Skylar Kumprey led the match with 12 kills to her name.

Emma Essex led the match with 16 digs with junior Abby Proefrock (Grafton, Wis.) with 13 digs.

McKenna Oetzman showed why she is at the top of the list of the best freshmen in the NACC with 20 assists.

The quartet of Paige Stickney, sophomore Emily Dickmann (Grafton, Wis.), McKenna Oetzman and Emma Essex all had two service aces.

St. Norbert ended a spectacular season at 19-14 and finished in a three-way tie in the NACC at 11-2. Senior Alyssa Mills had 12 kills for the Green and Gold and junior Heidi Colburn led the match with 

The Eagles of Edgewood defeated Aurora in the second NACC Tournament Semifinal, 20-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-21. That sets up a noon showdown for the NACC title in the Todd Wehr Edgedome on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons handed Edgewood its lone NACC loss of the season with a 25-23, 25-19, 12-25, 23-25, 18-16 victory on Oct. 12.