Kearney, Neb. – The 3rd-ranked Concordia-St. Paul volleyball team will have a chance to win a fifth straight NCAA Division II National Championship as the Golden Bears swept 9th-ranked SW Minnesota State in the Central Regional Finals (-17, -24, -13) Saturday night at the Health & Sports Center.

Concordia (31-2) has won 27th straight NCAA matches and will play 6th-ranked Central Missouri at the Elite Eight in two weeks at a site to be determined. Earlier this year, CU swept UCM.

Beating the Mustangs (25-7) for a third time this season, Concordia rolled through the first set thanks to 16 kills and two team blocks. The Bears also forced Southwest to hit a negative .053 (5-7-38).

The potent Mustang attack was back on track in set two, finishing with 17 kills. However, the Bears had 17 of their own kills in addition to four team blocks.

A tight battle throughout, Concordia saw sophomore outside Kayla Konecke score three straight points, via two solo blocks and a kill, to take a 22-19 lead.  Southwest didn't go quietly, tying things up at 24 on a block by junior middle Mary Groth and senior setter Cara Carson (Omaha Gross).

After a Golden Bear time-out, Concordia freshman middle Katie Habeck recorded a kill to give her team a lead. The Bears then moved ahead 2-0 in the match when senior outside Megan Carlson smashed home a kill.

Like the first set, Concordia dominated set three, hitting .448 (14-1-29) and also having four team blocks. Overall, CU hit .264 on the night with 48 kills, 63 digs and 10.0 blocks.

Southwest managed a .062 hitting efficiency with 56 digs and 5.0 blocks.

Individually, junior middle Cassie Haag (14) and Koenecke (10) reached double digits in kills for the Bears with Koenecke also hitting .526, having a team-high five blocks and recording 11 digs.

Groth paced Southwest with 12 kills.

All-Tournament Team
No MVP Chosen

Megan Carlson, Concordia
Kayla Koenecke, Concordia
Amanda Konetchy, Concordia
Ashley Murtha, Concordia
Kate Lange, Minnesota-Duluth
April Hansen, Minnesota-Duluth
Bri Morley, Metro State
Mary Groth, SW Minnesota State
Cara Carson, SW Minnesota State
Brooke Burmeister, SW Minnesota State
Jackie Stabell, Colorado School of Mines
Amanda Massey, Colorado School of Mines