Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 SEWARD, NEB – The Mayville State University Comets went 2-and-2 in the Concordia (Neb.) Bulldog Bash over the weekend at Concordia University in Seward, Neb. The Comets defeated Bethany College (Kan.) and Bethel College (Kan.), and fell to host team Concordia and Benedictine College (Kan.)
 
Benedictine (Kan.) 3, Mayville State 2
The Comets opened the tournament with a thrilling five-set match, falling in the final two sets, 25-19 and 15-11.
"It was tough to be in control with a 2-1 lead in sets and not close it out," head coach Lindsey Johnson said. "We played a real rollercoaster of a match, and unfortunately, couldn't finish in the end."
Mayville State jumped out to a 12-5 advantage in the first set, with five-point rallies via great serving by Hannah Bliss and Amy Seim. The Comets would extend it to 15-9 after two-point rallies by each team.
Neither team was able to gain a large advantage in the second set, until a 4-0 run ensued by Benedictine, putting them ahead 15-8.
Mayville State would later fight back, pulling to within five, but Benedictine would again extend the lead to 23-17 late. With game point in the future, Mayville State stopped that run, going on a 5-0 run, started by kills by Bliss and Kiana Johnson, eventually pulling to within 23-22. But, back-to-back kills by Benedictine wrapped the second set up, tying the match at one game apiece.
The third set was all Mayville State. The Comets jumped out to a 15-6 lead, with Jordyn Lucas doing much of the work from the serving line, successfully serving six straight points to make it 14-5. Benedictine pulled the match to within six points, but Mayville State was too much, and walked away with the 25-14 win.
The fourth set was back-and-forth, but Benedictine gained steam midway through the set, going on a 5-0 run to take a 16-11 lead. That lead would hold up, as Wesselink had a great set, figuring in on eight points in the set.
Heading into a fifth and decisive set, both teams jockeyed for position, with Benedictine gaining its widest lead late, 13-8, en route to a 15-11 win.
Johnson and Bliss led the Comets in kills, with 16 and 12, respectively. Elora Passa had 25 assists to pace the Comet setting core. Four Comets had double-figure digs, with Jayden Warner leading with 25, followed by three players, Bliss, Passa and Mason Hart, each with 14.
 
Mayville State 3, Bethany College (Kan.) 0
After dropping a disappointing five set match earlier in the day Saturday against Benedictine College, the Comets picked up their first match win of the season, a sweep of Bethany College in the second game of the tournament.
"It was really nice to rebound and get our first win of the season," Johnson said. "We played a much more consistent match and it was good to see us close out the match, when it was tight at the end."
The first set saw each team jockey for positioning, with neither team gaining an advantage, until a four-point run saw Mayville State's once seven-point lead shrivel to a 24-21, but Johnson's kill put the Comets away 25-21 in the first set.
The second set saw Mayville State jump out to a 12-6 lead on a kill by Passa, and that lead extended to a 15-7 lead later, on a kill by Kaitlin Leier, followed by a service ace by Hart.
Bethany pulled to within 16-12 on a kill by Paola Sanabria-Lopez, an error by Bliss and a kill by Serenity Storey.
Mayville State then extended the lead to six again, before surrendering two more points and then going on a 5-0 run, capped off by Seim's service ace. Johnson's kill on a pass by Passa wrapped the second set up for the Comets, 25-16.
The third set was probably the most exciting set of the night.
"It sure was a crazy one," Johnson said.
After a back-and-forth set for the most part, the intensity turned up late. Down 22-16, Bethany pulled back to within one point, 22-21, on an attack error by Johnson, and then a Bethany attack error made it 23-21.
With Hart serving to make it match point, Sanabria-Lopez picked up a kill, making it 23-22. An ace by Ivona Vojvodic made it 23-all.
Pyburn then picked up a kill on a set-up by Bliss to pull ahead 24-23.
With Warner serving for the match win, Sanabria-Lopez received a pass from Vojvodic and found a spot on the Comets side, tying it 24-24.
Sanabria-Lopez again picked up a kill, tying the game at 27-27, and then a Bliss attack error made it 28-27 in favor of Bethany. The two teams would then wrestle for position, but Mayville State finished it off, 32-30, in the final set.
Bliss led the Comets with 11 kills, followed by Johnson with 10. Passa finished with 29 assists and three Comets were in double-figures in the digs category, Warner (27), Passa (15) and Hart (11).
 
Concordia University 3, Mayville State 1
A 7-0 run by the Comets in the middle part of the first set gave Mayville State the momentum they needed, as they walked away with a 27-25 win in the opening set against the host Concordia University.
But that's all the Comet could do against Concordia, as they won convincingly in the second, third and fourth sets, 25-14, 25-17 and 25-15, respectively.
Three Comets registered double-digit kills, led by Bliss with 15, along with Leier and Victoria Johnson with 10 each. Passa led with 34 assists, and Warner and Hart had 19 and 10 digs, respectively.
 
Mayville State 3, Bethel College (Kan.) 0
The Comets wrapped up the tournament with a convincing 3-0 sweep over Bethel College in the weekend cap of the tournament, winning 25-17, 25-19 and 25-9 respectively.
Kiana Johnson finished with 11 kills, Passa had 29 assists and Warner had 27 digs to lead the Comets.
 
Up next for Mayville State
The Comets will return home for a match on Tuesday, Sept. 3, as the Concordia College Cobbers invade the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse in Mayville.
Tuesday's match will begin at 7 p.m. at the Fieldhouse.
Last season, the Comets swept the Cobbers in straight sets at home on Sept. 17, and then won in four sets in Moorhead, Minn., on October 8.
The Comets will return the favor of the Cobbers, when they travel to Moorhead on Oct. 22 for a non-conference tilt.
 
Follow the Comets
Tuesday's match against Concordia College will be broadcast LIVE on Stretch Internet and Comet Radio.
Chris Larson will have the play-by-play of Tuesday's game. The pregame show will begin at 6:45 p.m., with the first serve scheduled for 7 p.m.