Box Score RIVER FOREST, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – The Wisconsin Lutheran College men's volleyball team returned to conference play after three straight matches out of league play on Friday night, traveling to Concordia Chicago for a NACC match against the Cougars. CUC defeated the Warriors by scores of 25-13, 25-22, and 25-22.
- Final Score: Concordia Chicago 3, Wisconsin Lutheran 0 (25-13, 25-22, 25-22)
- Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (0-19, 0-7 NACC), Concordia Chicago (6-12, 5-3 NACC)
- Location: Geisemann Gymnasium, River Forest, Ill.
- The Warriors found themselves trailing by just one point early on in the first set before a 6-0 run for the Cougars gave them an 11-4 lead. WLC was able to get within six points later on at 17-11, but CUC pulled away for a 25-13 opening-set win.
- Concordia Chicago held a 6-2 lead over Wisconsin Lutheran in the second set, but freshman James Biedenbender (La Crosse, Wis.) evened the score at 13 apiece following a kill. The hosts extended their lead up to five points at 21-16, but the Green and White forced a timeout after sophomore Grant Wempner's (Garden Grove, Calif.) kill brought the Warriors to within just one point at 23-22. The Cougars netted the last two points of the set for a 25-22 win.
- WLC fell behind 4-1 in the third set, but took an 8-6 lead after three straight hitting errors by CUC. The game, which featured 11 ties and six lead changes, saw Wisconsin Lutheran take a slim 16-15 lead after another Wempner kill. Three straight points from the Cougars gave them the lead for good as the hosts held on for another 25-22 win. The Green and White hit a match-high .310 in the third stanza.
- Wempner paced WLC offensively with a career-high 10 kills and the team's only service ace. Biedenbender distributed 18 assists, and sophomore Logan Gryzwa (Delafield, Wis.) recorded nine digs to lead the team.
- The Warriors return to River Forest, Illinois on Saturday for a 12 p.m. NACC match against second-ranked and conference-leading Dominican (15-1, 7-0 NACC). Live coverage links will be available for the contest at WLCSports.com.
