Box Score

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Despite a quick Northern State start, the third ranked Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears rallied to take a straight-sets sweep of the Wolves Friday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference volleyball action.  CU claimed set victories by final scores of 35-17, 25-15, 25-18.
 
The loss drops the Wolves to 12-14 overall and 7-12 in league action while the four-time defending national champion Golden Bears moved to 27-2 on the year and 17-2 in the loop.
 
CU notched 62 digs and eight blocks – seven of which came from junior Cassie Haag – to hold the Wolves to a .158 attack percentage on the night.  NSU hit just .084 through the first two sets before hammering down 12 kills to just one error in the third set.
 
NSU raced out to a quick 9-2 lead to open the night, but the Golden Bears would not stay flat-footed for long.  CSP took off on a 15-3 run midway through the match to rally from six points down and take control of the set at 20-14.
 
The Golden Bears ended the set on a 4-1 run and turned around to start the second set with a 10-4 lead, forcing NSU to burn an early time-out.  The Wolves closed back to within five, but would get no closer.
 
Out of the 10-minute intermission, the Wolves juggled their lineup and kept pace with the Golden Bears through the early going, but yet another CU run – this time a 12-2 sprint – kept the Golden Bears in the driver's seat and allowed them to pull away.
 
NSU was led by 11 kills and a .275 attack percentage from senior Kaili Aiono, who also had nine digs and a block in the Wolves' defensive effort.  Sophomore Paula Martins added eight kills and a block.
 
CU put three players in double figures in kills, led by Ashley Murtha's 15 and Megan Carlson's 14.  The Golden Bears committed just ten attacking errors and hit .402 at the net.
 
The Wolves finish out the 2011 season tomorrow, hosting St. Cloud State in a 5 p.m. match.  NSU will honor its four seniors prior to the match.