ST. PAUL, MN – Already facing the challenge of playing the defending national champion and the second-ranked team in NCAA, uncertainty was added to the mix when an electrical issue forced a delay in the start time of the University of Mary's volleyball game at Concordia-St. Paul. Handling all issues with aplomb, the Marauders raced out to win the first set before the Golden Bears found their form to claim the last three sets in a 3-1 (18-25, 25-14, 25-13, 25-17) CSP victory over UMary.
 
Delayed just ten minutes, the Marauders opened the first set firing on all cylinders behind the play of senior Lauren Randall. Playing just down the road from her home town of Burnsville, MN, the outside hitter posted eight kills and no attack errors in only 11 attempts to push UMary to claim the opening set.
 
Opening with a kill from Morgan Schnabel and an ace from Natalia Cruz, the Marauders scored the first four points of the day. Adding in a couple kills from Randall and a Geovana Almeida ace, the Marauders claimed a 9-1 lead and forced Concordia to call a time out.
 
Concordia pulled within five points at 15-10 but could never come any closer.
 
UMary may have poked the proverbial (Golden) Bear with the Marauders opening set performance. Concordia opened a 9-4 lead in set two before forging ahead 22-12 for its largest margin prior to the final score of 25-14.
 
The third set followed a similar pattern as the Golden Bears rolled off seven straight points late for a 23-10 advantage in a 25-13 win. The Marauders hung tough in the fourth set but the Golden Bears slowly pulled away before finishing the night with a 25-17 win in the final stanza.
 
The NSIC leader in kills, Randall was limited to a season-low three kills her previous game at Minnesota State. She rebounded with one of her best games of the year. Randall finished with a team-high 17 kills, hitting .366 for the night with just two errors. She also added ten digs for her seventh double double in 12 matches.
 
Schnabel added six kills and two block assists for the Marauders. Katelyn Olson dished 23 assists and added four kills. Sydney Murphy added 12 assists and Almeida posted a team-high 12 digs.
 
Hope Schiller and Brooklyn Lewis both had 14 kills for Concordia. Schiller also had 16 digs. Elizabeth Mohr distributed 53 assists as Concordia hit .308 on the night to the Marauders .138.
 
UMary begins a four-game home stand when Winona State visits on Friday, Sept. 29, at 6 pm.
 
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