MILWAUKEE -- Alverno lost to the visiting Concordia Chicago Cougars, 3-0, spoiling the Inferno's "Senior Night." The Cougars clinched a spot in the Northern Athletics Conference tournament with the road victory in the teams' final conference match of the season.
The Inferno (3-26, 0-12 NAC) honored the team's lone senior, Ashley Graham (Cudahy, Wis.), in a ceremony prior to the match.
Alverno started out the match with a strong offensive attack and connected on .200 of its kill attempts in the first set, yet Concordia (11-15, 6-6) hit an impressive .270 and took the opening set 25-20.
After committing only five attack errors in the first set, the Inferno committed nine in each of the second and third sets for a .108 attack percentage on the night. Additionally, the Inferno had nine service errors--and only two aces--adding to the 25-19 and 25-14 set losses.
However, Linda Vang (Manitowoc, Wis./Lincoln) had an outstanding night at the net and led the Inferno offense with nine kills on 17 attempts for a .412 attack percentage.
Freshman setter Shelby Metzger (Montreal, Mo./Camdenton) added seven kills and had 23 assists.
Defensively, Reagan Owen (Salina, Kan./Central) led all defenders in the match with 18 kills, while Graham chipped in eight and Metzger seven.
The Inferno travel to face crosstown rival Mt. Mary in a nonconference match on Friday, before closing out the 2011 campaign in a triangular at Lake Forest on Saturday.
