No. 9 Concordia-St. Paul opened its road trip with a straight-set win over Minnesota State, leaning on Makenna Nold’s double-double and advantages in serving and blocking. The Golden Bears recovered from an early deficit in the third set to finish the sweep and extend their long-running dominance over the Mavericks.

By the Numbers
  • Concordia-St. Paul: 19-5 overall, 14-2 in the NSIC; Minnesota State: 10-14, 8-8.
  • Nold: 13 kills and 11 digs for her 13th double-double of the season.
  • Team comparison: Concordia hit .248 with 41 kills; Minnesota State hit .158 with 33 kills.
  • Concordia led 9-3 in aces and 7-3 in blocks; Marta Leeland recorded 17 digs and 3 aces.
  • Set scores: 25-18, 25-21, 25-17. Concordia’s winning streak over Minnesota State now stands at 22 matches, dating to 2014.
State of Play
  • The Golden Bears are midway through a three-match road trip, with their next matches Friday at Sioux Falls and Saturday against No. 15 Southwest Minnesota State.
  • Concordia has won 14 of its 16 NSIC matches.
Bottom Line

Concordia paired efficient hitting with a clear edge at the net and from the service line, turning a tight second set and a third-set deficit into a decisive sweep.