Cobbers Rally for Thrilling Sweep Over Buena Vista

STORM LAKE, IOWA (10/21/25) – The Cobbers opened the match by taking set one 25-19 over the Buena Vista Beavers. The Beavers came out strong, jumping to a 3-0 lead before a kill from Mallory Leitner stopped the early run. The two teams battled point for point, with a Beaver service error tying the set at 9-9. Back-to-back kills from Leitner put the Cobbers ahead 15-13, and from that point, the momentum stayed with the maroon and gold. Two kills from Kaili Malvey, combined with a Beaver error, gave Concordia a four-point lead late in the set. Buena Vista struggled with timely errors, committing six in the final stretch, allowing the Cobbers to close out the set 25-19. Leitner and Malvey led the way for CC, each recording three kills, while Malvey was nearly perfect with a .750 hitting percentage.

Set two followed a similar script, with both teams trading points early. An Annie Horan service ace gave the Cobbers an early 5-3 lead, and back-to-back aces from Betsy Shiltz extended the advantage to four. The Beavers battled back, taking a narrow 11-10 lead, but Horan responded with two big blocks to give the Cobbers a 15-12 advantage. Kills from Horan and Lauren Pearson later pushed the lead to nine. Buena Vista fought to stay in the set, cutting the deficit to three at 23-20, but back-to-back kills from Malvey and Shiltz secured the Cobbers' 25-20 win in set two.

Set three was the most thrilling of the night. The Cobbers opened with an 8-5 lead following another Horan service ace. Behind a kill and ace from Malvey, CC held a narrow 11-10 advantage, but a Beaver kill shifted momentum, allowing Buena Vista to take control and build a 23-15 lead. A late kill from Horan, another from Horan, and a timely Beaver error cut the deficit to six. With the Beavers just one point from taking the set, the Cobbers went on a 7-0 run fueled by kills from Horan and Addy Klemin. Buena Vista tied the set again at 26, but a huge block from Horan and a final kill from Leitner gave the Maroon and Gold the thrilling 28-26 victory, earning their sixth win overall.

The Cobbers' offense was well-balanced on the night, led by Horan with eight kills. Leitner and Klemin each added six kills apiece, while Malvey wasn't far behind with five. Betsy Schiltz directed the offense with 19 assists, Horan anchored the defense with 10 digs and four blocks, while Holland Fitterer added a team-high 13 digs. 

The Cobbers return home this Friday, Oct. 24, to host St. Scholastica with a 7:00 p.m. start.