LA JOLLA, CALIF. - The Eagles would head down the coast to play against UC San Diego who is in the Big West Conference, with a 3-6 record. Concordia would be down 0-2 in the match, coming back to win the next two games, forcing the Tritons to a fifth and final set. The Eagles would just fall short in the fifth set, with a close score 13-15.

In the first set, UCSD came out taking a 1-4 lead. A few service errors and two kills from Hunter Howell would tie that game at 6-6. Howell would go on a four point serving run with a couple hitting errors from the Tritons to take their first lead, 10-7. A service ace from Luke Krzmarzick would force the Tritons to take a timeout with a score 15-13. The Tritons were close behind, not giving up as they had tied the game again with 21 all. Both teams would continue to go back and forth, until the Tritons would finish the first set off with a close score 25-27.

After just falling short in the first set, Concordia would come out in the second to take a commanding six point lead, 12-6. The Tritons would go on a four point run, forcing the Eagles to take a timeout at 13-11. A kill from Jonathan Carlson would snap their run after the timeout. Concordia would continue to keep a three point run until UCSD would go on another run with two kills and an ace, making them take their final timeout at 19-18. Just like in the first set, the Tritons would tie the Eagles yet again at 21. UCSD would finish the set 22-25. 

As the third set was underway, the Eagles would jump out with another commanding lead, not letting off the gas pedal and keeping their lead early. With a score 20-14, UCSD would take their first timeout of the set. A kill from Darcy Taig would finish the set with a score 25-19, having the Tritons fight for at least another set. 

Concordia would get the first point in the fourth set off a missed serve, followed by UCSD getting the next three points. Howell would go on a three point service run to take their first lead of the set at 6-4. Just when Concordia would take a four point lead, UCSD would come back with a few kills to tie the game at 11-11, having Concordia take their first timeout. Chandler Gibb would go on the longest serving run of the night at seven, while dishing out sets to all the players getting kills from Taig, Zachary Meyer, Dalmada, and Jordan Hoppe. Just when the Eagles were getting comfortable in the set, the Tritons would follow up with a seven point run, coming in within two points. Concordia would win the set with a missed serve followed by a solo block from Hunter Howell, 25-23.  

In the fifth set of the night, both teams would continue to battle back and forth between points. The Tritons would take a 6-8 lead as they switch sides and would miss their serve coming back onto the court. A couple kills from Hoppe would continue to keep the Eagles in match, tying the Tritons multiple times. As UCSD would get a kill from the back row, they would follow up with a missed serve giving Concordia a chance to take another one point lead. As the Tritons take match point at 13-14 , the Eagles would take a timeout. UCSD would not let the timeout conflict with their playing, finishing the game with a final score 13-15. 

Jordan Hoppe would lead the night for Concordia with 19 kills, while Jonathan Carlson would get six kills, five block assists, and 11 digs. Hunter Howell would have 11 kills, hitting .474 with three solo blocks and six block assists. Andrew Dalmada had six kills with a hitting percentage of .500. Chandler Gibb dished out 47 assists and 12 digs, with Addison Enriques leading the team with 13 digs. 

Concordia is 4-8 on the season and will play their first MPSF game of the season against Grand Canyon University Saturday, February 9 at 7PM in the CU Arena.