St. Norbert College’s men’s volleyball team delivered a hard‑fought performance on Saturday, pushing Concordia University Chicago to a decisive fifth set before falling 3‑2 in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) matchup at the Geiseman Gymnasium in River Forest, Ill.
The Green Knights opened the match strong, breaking a 13‑13 tie with a 6‑1 run to claim the first set 25‑20. Concordia answered in the second, trading points through eleven ties and ultimately sealing the set 25‑23 after a 23‑23 deadlock.
Back‑and‑forth battle
In the third set, St. Norbert saw a 7‑7 tie dissolve into a 20‑9 deficit, allowing the Cougars to take a 2‑1 lead. The Green Knights rallied in the fourth, never falling behind and building a 16‑8 advantage that forced a winner‑takes‑all fifth set.
The final set began with St. Norbert surging ahead 8‑6, but Concordia responded with an 8‑1 run to seize control and close the match 15‑11.
Statistical highlights
St. Norbert recorded a .178 hitting percentage, tallying 56 kills on 163 attempts with 27 errors. Freshman outside hitter Gracie Buss led the team with 11 kills, while senior Kayden Lamon contributed 10. Anna Kulick and Brooklyn O’Malley each added nine kills. Setter Raina Ledzian distributed 29 assists and added two service aces, while Flynn Puttin recorded 14 assists. Defensively, Maddie Kitowski posted 22 digs, Buss added seven, O’Malley recorded five blocks, and Lamon logged four.
Concordia posted a .155 hitting percentage, registering 54 kills on 155 attempts with 30 errors. The Cougars were paced by Indiah Day and Neva Foster, each delivering 17 kills.
Looking ahead
Both programs remain in contention for a top spot in the NACC as the season progresses. St. Norbert will aim to build on the resilience shown in this match, while Concordia looks to capitalize on the momentum from their hard‑earned victory.
The next NACC contests are scheduled for the coming weeks, with each team seeking to improve their conference standing and secure a postseason berth.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
