Sunday, November 24
St. Cloud, Minn.
3 p.m. CT
St. Cloud State
27-2,18-0NSIC
3
vs
1
Concordia-St. Paul
23-6,16-2NSIC
1
2
3
4
F
Concordia-St. Paul
18
17
31
8
1
St. Cloud St.
25
25
29
25
3
St. Cloud State Volleyball won its third Tournament Championship in four years
Photo by: Jason Soria
No. 2 St. Cloud State Volleyball Defeats No. 8 Concordia-St. Paul in Four, Wins NSIC Tournament Championship
11/24/2024 11:39:00 PM | Volleyball
Top-seeded Huskies advance to NCAA Tournament for fifth straight season after beating second-seeded Golden Bears in tournament final
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 2 St. Cloud State Volleyball (27-2, 18-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) beat second-seeded No. 8 Concordia-St. Paul in four sets (25-18, 25-17, 29-31 and 25-8) on Sunday afternoon at Halenbeck Hall in St. Cloud to claim the program's third NSIC Tournament Championship in the last four years.
The Huskies led CSP (23-6, 16-2 NSIC) in points (75-63), kills (54-46), hitting percentage (.294 – .140), aces (12-5), assists (52-46) and digs (62-45). The Golden Bears led in blocks (12-9).
With the win, the Huskies punched their ticket to the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament for the fifth consecutive season and 10th time overall in program history.
TOP HUSKIES
"St. Cloud State Volleyball has waited a long, long time to celebrate a big victory like that in Halenbeck Hall! I am so thankful for all of the great women that have come before this current group, the alums that have helped build the foundation to this program to get us to where we are today, and then these young ladies for putting in the work and carrying on and furthering the tradition of Huskies Volleyball excellence. From the match tonight, specifically, I thought that our block and defense did a fantastic job of slowing Concordia down. I think it certainly helped that they had a grueling five-set match last night with Wayne State, and we were probably a bit more rested, but we were still able to start out sets one, two and four ahead, and I really think that put some pressure on Concordia to make plays, and have to try and serve and attack more aggressively, which may have attributed to some errors later in sets, especially the fourth set. I really liked the way we responded to the third set loss. It would've been very easy to come out and play tentative or scared, but we were very tenacious from the first whistle and serve in the fourth set. We were able to build a nice 10-point cushion, and then it became a lot easier from there and the pressure was alleviated. This was a really fantastic win for the Huskies overall, and we had another great and supportive crowd tonight – thank you to all of our Huskies fans in Halenbeck and watching all over the world."
NOTABLES
The Huskies have punched their ticket to the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament for the fifth consecutive season but await their bracket information which will be announced during the NCAA DII Volleyball selection show which airs on Monday, Nov. 25 at 6:30 p.m. CT on NCAA.com. For more information on the 2024 NCAA DII women's volleyball championship, including selection show info, bracket, dates, etc., click here.
The team is hosting a selection show watch party at Legends Bar & Grill in St. Cloud on Monday night, so join the team, in finding out who/where they will play. Feel free to come starting at 5:30 but the selection show will not begin until 6:30.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Huskies led CSP (23-6, 16-2 NSIC) in points (75-63), kills (54-46), hitting percentage (.294 – .140), aces (12-5), assists (52-46) and digs (62-45). The Golden Bears led in blocks (12-9).
With the win, the Huskies punched their ticket to the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament for the fifth consecutive season and 10th time overall in program history.
TOP HUSKIES
- Fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) – 19-kill, 17-dig double-double and three service aces. She was named to the All-NSIC Tournament Team.
- Redshirt junior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) – 15 kills on .519 hitting, five block assists and the Huskies lone solo block. She was named to the All-NSIC Tournament Team.
- Sophomore outside hitter/opposite Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa) – 15 digs, six kills and team-high four service aces. She was named to the All-NSIC Tournament Team.
- Junior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) – match-high 47 assists, six digs and four block assists. She was named to the All-NSIC Tournament Team.
- Senior libero Keely Kurschner (Maplewood, Minn.) – 15 digs and two service aces.
"St. Cloud State Volleyball has waited a long, long time to celebrate a big victory like that in Halenbeck Hall! I am so thankful for all of the great women that have come before this current group, the alums that have helped build the foundation to this program to get us to where we are today, and then these young ladies for putting in the work and carrying on and furthering the tradition of Huskies Volleyball excellence. From the match tonight, specifically, I thought that our block and defense did a fantastic job of slowing Concordia down. I think it certainly helped that they had a grueling five-set match last night with Wayne State, and we were probably a bit more rested, but we were still able to start out sets one, two and four ahead, and I really think that put some pressure on Concordia to make plays, and have to try and serve and attack more aggressively, which may have attributed to some errors later in sets, especially the fourth set. I really liked the way we responded to the third set loss. It would've been very easy to come out and play tentative or scared, but we were very tenacious from the first whistle and serve in the fourth set. We were able to build a nice 10-point cushion, and then it became a lot easier from there and the pressure was alleviated. This was a really fantastic win for the Huskies overall, and we had another great and supportive crowd tonight – thank you to all of our Huskies fans in Halenbeck and watching all over the world."
NOTABLES
- The Huskies move to 8-34 all-time against CSP, picking up their third straight win over the Bears which all came this season. SCSU is now 5-13 all-time against Concordia-St. Paul at Halenbeck Hall.
- SCSU has won 23 straight matches including 12 wins over nationally ranked teams during that stretch – No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State (sweep), No. 6 Wayne State, No. 8 Concordia-St. Paul (twice), No. 9 Concordia-St. Paul (sweep), No. 15 Minnesota Duluth (sweep), No. 18 Northern State (sweep) No. 20 Michigan Tech, No. 22 Northern State (sweep), No. 24 Minnesota Duluth (sweep), (RV) Minnesota State (sweep) and (RV) Minnesota State.
- It is the first time SCSU has ever won 23 matches in a row. The previous longest streak of 17, was set in 2021.
- St. Cloud State won its third NSIC Tournament Championship (2022, 2021) in program history, all coming in the last four years.
- SCSU made its fifth straight NSIC Tournament Championship match appearance (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019).
- CSP has been SCSU's opponent in four of its five tournament championship appearances (2024, 2023, 2022, 2019).
- The Huskies moved to 13-2 (.867) all-time in NSIC Tournament matches.
- SCSU advances to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season and 10th time in program history.
- Foley led the match in kills and digs. It was her 17th double-double of the season. She appeared in four NSIC Tournament Championship matches during her career and picked up her third win. She earned All-NSIC Tournament honors in each of her four tournament appearances.
- Thompson led the match in block assists while sending down the second most kills. She only made one attacking error in 27 swings and hit a blazing .519. She earned her first NSIC Tournament Championship and All-NSIC Tournament honors for the first time.
- Kimm led the match in aces and was one of three Huskies to record 15+ digs in the match. She earned eared her first NSIC Tournament Championship and All-NSIC Tournament honors for the first time.
- Berran dished out a match-high 47 assists and tied for second in the match, teaming up for four block assists. She earned her second NSIC Tournament Championship and All-NSIC Tournament honors for the first time.
- Kurschner was one of three Huskies to record 15+ digs. She earned her third NSIC Tournament Championship.
- Sophomore middle blocker Hannah Bruskiewicz (Rogers, Minn.) sent down seven kills and tallied three block assists. She earned her first NSIC Tournament Championship.
- Junior defensive specialist Emily Kern (Belgrade, Minn.) recorded six digs. Earned her second NSIC Tournament Championship.
The Huskies have punched their ticket to the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament for the fifth consecutive season but await their bracket information which will be announced during the NCAA DII Volleyball selection show which airs on Monday, Nov. 25 at 6:30 p.m. CT on NCAA.com. For more information on the 2024 NCAA DII women's volleyball championship, including selection show info, bracket, dates, etc., click here.
The team is hosting a selection show watch party at Legends Bar & Grill in St. Cloud on Monday night, so join the team, in finding out who/where they will play. Feel free to come starting at 5:30 but the selection show will not begin until 6:30.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Team Stats
CSP
SCSU
Kills
46
54
Errors
26
17
Attempts
143
126
Hitting %
.140
.294
Points
63.0
75.0
Assists
46
52
Aces
5
12
Blocks
12
9
Game Leaders
Kills
19
Aces
3
Blocks
2
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
6
Aces
4
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
S
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
Li/DS
/ VolleyballOH/OPP
/ Volleyball
Li/DS
/ VolleyballMB
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