In a game filled with booming hits, it was ironic that Minnesota Duluth's volleyball match with Concordia-St. Paul today ended with a soft tip over the net.
The fourth-ranked Bulldogs stunned the top-ranked and four-time defending national champion Golden Bears 20-25, 30-28, 15-25, 25-20, 17-15 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference match before 1,411 spectators at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul.
UMD sophomore outside hitter Kate Lange of Hibbing had a match-high 24 kills and freshman libero Julie Rainey had 29 digs to lead the Bulldogs (23-0 overall, 14-0 NSIC), who had lost eight straight against the Golden Bears (22-1, 13-1). The win snapped Concordia's 44-match winning streak, 85-match conference streak and 61-match home winning streak.
"It was just a really high-quality match between two really good teams," UMD coach Jim Boos said. "It was a great environment to play in, and we're certainly pleased to come out on top.
"When you looked across the court on the one side, all you could see was maroon and gold, and they were loud. That made us feel pretty special. We had a home away from home."
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UMD was down 2-1 when Rainey had 11 digs in the fourth set and the Bulldogs offense began surging.
Senior Megan Carlson had 20 kills and 18 digs to lead Concordia.
Lange added 14 digs and four service aces for UMD. Teammates Hannah Johnson (14), Stephanie Brown (11) and Kalli Lochner (10) were in double figures in kills, while senior setter Eleena Iisakka had 62 set assists and just one kill -- but it was the soft tip that ended the match.
"Once you force a fifth set," Boos said, "anything can happen."
