NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College volleyball team built a two-sets to-none advantage over No. 19 Concordia College-Moorhead, but the Cobbers rallied back to force a fifth set, which Concordia won 15-11. Setter Beth Jarrett (Jr./Mounds View, Minn./Irondale) dished out 39 assists and had 11 digs.
Carleton (12-7, 2-4 MIAC) came out playing inspired volleyball and won the first set, 25-22. It was more of the same in the second set as the Knights jumped out to a 13-5 advantage and didn’t look back.
During the break before the third set the Concordia coaching staff reminded their team to keep playing their game. The Cobbers turned the momentum by hitting .457 in the third set and showed they are worthy of their national ranking, winning 25-13.
The Knights looked to weather the storm and built a 13-11 edge in set number four. But Concordia took advantage of five Carleton attack errors during an 8-0 run and held on for a 25-21 victory to force the deciding fifth set.
Trailing 9-1, the Knights tried to rally back and got to within 10-7, but Concordia re-grouped and finished out the match.
Kelly Lovett (Jr./Portland, Ore./Lincoln) finished with a match-high 15 kills. Seniors Sarah Halls (Edina, Minn.) and Annie Eckhoff (Northfield, Minn.) tallied nine kills apiece. Laura Barsness (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) recorded 19 digs to pace four Knights in double-figures. Eckhoff had a hand in seven of the teams' eight blocks.
“This one hurts. We started off really well. Concordia wasn’t playing their best at the beginning, and we let them back into it” said Carleton head coach Heidi Jaynes. “I’m proud of how we fought back in the fifth game. We had some costly errors, and the girls know that. You have to earn your points in the fifth game.”
Carleton hosts Macalester College on Wed., October 14 in the team's annual Dig Pink event, which raises money for breast cancer research.
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