#1 Golden Bears Ready for Eighth Straight NCAA Run

MARSHALL, Minn. – After capturing yet another NSIC Title last weekend the Golden Bears (26-4, 20-0 NSIC) will be in Marshall, Minnesota this weekend for the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. CU is the number two in the Central Region and will play #16 Minnesota State Mankato, tomorrow at noon. You can watch all the action live on computer if you are not able to get to Marshall.

Concordia is making their eighth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament; they have made it to the regional final every year they have made the tournament as well. CU has a 28-4 post season record and as well as an 18 match winning streak over the last four years. In regional play they have a 17-2 record with both losses coming to Minnesota Duluth at the Gangelhoff Center. In 2007 the Golden Bears were able to beat three NSIC teams in Duluth in order to reach the Elite Eight in Topeka, Kansas. CU is again on the road this year and it is possible a road to the Elite Eight could go through three NSIC Opponents.

CU opens up with a match against MSU Mankato. Wayne State is on the same side of the bracket as CU and Minnesota Duluth and Southwest Minnesota State is on the other side. If the bracket saw all higher seeded teams win CU’s road to the Elite Eight would feature matchups with Wayne State followed by Southwest Minnesota State.

The Golden Bears and Minnesota State are very familiar with each other facing each other twelve times since 1999. The Mavericks won the first two match ups in 1999 and 2002, since then CU has rattled off ten straight victories including two this season. Both matches this season went to four games with the Mavericks able to find some success against the Golden Bears defense has they hit .219 compared to the .176 average CU has held opponents to this season. In the eight sets played four have been decided by five points or less including three that were decided by two.

Emily Palkert has lead the team offensively in the two matches against MSU going off for 31 kills an average of 3.88 kills per set as she hit .300. Megan Carlson was second on the team with 25 kills and Cassie Haag and Kayla Koenecke were right behind with 23 kills each. Carlson added 44 digs to lead the defense and had double doubles in both, both times she had at least 20 digs. Taylor Fieldsted had 36 digs and Kayla Koenecke added 25. Setter Amanda Konetchy had 110 assists in the two matches combined averaging 13.75 assists per set.

If CU is able to defeat the Mavericks they will then play next on Friday at 5 p.m. against the winner of Wayne State and Metro State. Keep up on what the Golden Bears are doing via our twitter feed, id-cugoldenbears.