Saturday, November 9
Gangelhoff Center • St. Paul, Minn.
5 p.m. CT
St. Cloud State
23-2,17-0NSIC
3
at
1
Concordia-St. Paul
19-5,14-2NSIC
1
2
3
4
F
St. Cloud St.
29
25
19
25
3
Concordia-St. Paul
27
22
25
22
1
Photo by: Jacob Sanders
No. 2 St. Cloud State Volleyball Beats No. 8 Concordia-St. Paul in Four, Clinches NSIC Regular Season Title
11/9/2024 11:22:00 PM | Volleyball
Huskies win fourth regular season championship in program history, first since 2021
ST. PAUL, Minn. – No. 2 St. Cloud State Volleyball (23-2, 17-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) took down No. 8 Concordia-St. Paul in four sets (29-27, 25-22, 19-25, 25-22) on Saturday evening at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul to clinch the 2024 regular season NSIC Championship.
Redshirt junior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) led the Huskies offensively in the first set, sending down eight kills, while junior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) posted 13 assists on the Huskies 17 kills. Defensively, fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) and senior libero Keely Kurschner (Maplewood, Minn.) each tallied eight digs. It was more of the same in the second as Thompson recorded five more kills and Foley tallied six more digs.
In the third, SCSU dropped its first set since its thrilling five-set victory on the road against No. 6 Wayne State on October 12. Thompson and Foley each accounted for five more kills in the set, but the Golden Bears (19-5, 14-2 NSIC) recorded five blocked and outhit St. Cloud State .320-.167.
Foley took over the match in the final set with seven kills on .375 hitting and seven digs to help the Huskies secure the regular season championship.
The Huskies led CSP in kills (59-52), hitting percentage (.222 – .210), assists (50-48) and digs (79-71). CSP led the match in points (74-69) and blocks (16-4). Each team recorded six aces.
TOP HUSKIES
"I really thought there was some high-level volleyball played tonight. There were some great defensive rallies and scrapping on both sides. Concordia really handled us at the net at times, blocking us better than any team has this entire season, but I'm so proud of our attackers and the way they responded, especially in the fourth set. At times, it felt like things were slipping away a little bit, but we really did a great job battling back on multiple occasions. We served tough enough to get them out of system. We held them to a .210 hitting percentage, which is actually pretty darn good for when you play Concordia. Kenzie [Foley], Keely [Kurschner] and Shelby [Kimm] did a fantastic job in the back row and Emily Kern was very solid. A key stretch tonight was Sam Zimmerman's long service run at the end of the second set when we were down big – it really changed the momentum of that set. Our attackers and defenders worked well together, and Emma [Berran] did a great job running our offense. I am so proud of this group, and winning a regular season NSIC championship is amazing feat!"
NOTABLES
The Huskies conclude their regular season schedule with a home match next Friday against Winona State (17-10, 10-6 NSIC). The match will serve as senior night and the program will honor its four seniors for their contributions over the last four-plus years. First serve is set for 6 p.m. from Halenbeck Hall. Links to each coverage option will be available on the SCSU Volleyball schedule page.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Redshirt junior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) led the Huskies offensively in the first set, sending down eight kills, while junior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) posted 13 assists on the Huskies 17 kills. Defensively, fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) and senior libero Keely Kurschner (Maplewood, Minn.) each tallied eight digs. It was more of the same in the second as Thompson recorded five more kills and Foley tallied six more digs.
In the third, SCSU dropped its first set since its thrilling five-set victory on the road against No. 6 Wayne State on October 12. Thompson and Foley each accounted for five more kills in the set, but the Golden Bears (19-5, 14-2 NSIC) recorded five blocked and outhit St. Cloud State .320-.167.
Foley took over the match in the final set with seven kills on .375 hitting and seven digs to help the Huskies secure the regular season championship.
The Huskies led CSP in kills (59-52), hitting percentage (.222 – .210), assists (50-48) and digs (79-71). CSP led the match in points (74-69) and blocks (16-4). Each team recorded six aces.
TOP HUSKIES
- Foley – 17-kill, match-high 22-dig double-double
- Thompson – career/match high 22 kills
- Berran – 44 assists
- Kurschner – 17 digs and match-high 2 service aces
- Sophomore outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa) – 14 digs, seven kills, three block assists and two service aces
- Junior defensive specialist Emily Kern (Belgrade, Minn.) – 10 digs
"I really thought there was some high-level volleyball played tonight. There were some great defensive rallies and scrapping on both sides. Concordia really handled us at the net at times, blocking us better than any team has this entire season, but I'm so proud of our attackers and the way they responded, especially in the fourth set. At times, it felt like things were slipping away a little bit, but we really did a great job battling back on multiple occasions. We served tough enough to get them out of system. We held them to a .210 hitting percentage, which is actually pretty darn good for when you play Concordia. Kenzie [Foley], Keely [Kurschner] and Shelby [Kimm] did a fantastic job in the back row and Emily Kern was very solid. A key stretch tonight was Sam Zimmerman's long service run at the end of the second set when we were down big – it really changed the momentum of that set. Our attackers and defenders worked well together, and Emma [Berran] did a great job running our offense. I am so proud of this group, and winning a regular season NSIC championship is amazing feat!"
NOTABLES
- The Huskies move to 7-34 all-time against Concordia-St. Paul, picking up just their second ever win at the Gangelhoff Center against the Golden Bears (2-14). Since 2017, SCSU is 5-7 against the Bears and the Huskies are now on a two-match win streak against CSP.
- St. Cloud State won its fourth regular season conference championship in program history, joining the teams from 2021 (NSIC), 1985 (NCC) and 1982 (NSC).
- Foley, Kurschner, senior opposite Natalie Tesch (Milwaukee, Wis.) and redshirt junior middle blocker Sam Zimmerman (Moorhead, Minn.) were all on the 2021 regular season championship squad.
- SCSU has won 19 straight matches including 10 wins over nationally ranked teams during that stretch – No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State (sweep), No. 6 Wayne State, No. 8 Concordia-St. Paul, No. 9 Concordia-St. Paul (sweep), No. 15 Minnesota Duluth (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 19 matches in a row. The previous longest streak of 17, was set in 2021.
- The Huskies sweep streak ended at eight, tying the previous record which was set in 2022.
- St. Cloud State extended its best conference start in program history (17-0) and has clinched a first-round home match in the 2024 NSIC Volleyball Tournament.
- The team's 79 digs were a new season high.
- Foley led the match in digs and as second in kills. Became the program's leader in career double-doubles after posting the 74th of her career to pass former teammate, three-time All-American Linsey Rachel (2018-22). Moved into fourth all-time in sets played (429), fifth all-time in digs (1,366) and 10th in matches played (121). Foley's 22 digs tied her season high. She has 14 double-doubles this season.
- Thompson posted a new career high in kills (22), surpassing her old mark of 20 that she set recorded twice earlier this season. She also set a new personal best in attacks (44). Thompson has posted 10+ kills in 14 matches this season and 20+ in three.
- Berran has tallied 44+ assists in seven matches this season.
- Kurschner was tied for the second most digs in the match. She has posted 15+ digs in 12 matches this season.
- Kimm has posted double-digit digs in 11 matches this season. She tied her career high of three block assists.
- Kern has posted 10+ digs in six matches this season.
- Zimmerman tied a career high six digs.
The Huskies conclude their regular season schedule with a home match next Friday against Winona State (17-10, 10-6 NSIC). The match will serve as senior night and the program will honor its four seniors for their contributions over the last four-plus years. First serve is set for 6 p.m. from Halenbeck Hall. Links to each coverage option will be available on the SCSU Volleyball schedule page.
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
SCSU
CSP
Kills
59
52
Errors
24
18
Attempts
158
162
Hitting %
.222
.210
Points
69.0
74.0
Assists
50
48
Aces
6
6
Blocks
4
16
Game Leaders
Kills
22
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
17
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
2
Blocks
3
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
Li/DS
/ VolleyballOH/OPP
/ Volleyball
Li/DS
/ Volleyball
OPP
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
MB
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