Cardinals fall in five sets in home finale

Coon Rapids battled back from a 2-0 deficit and were three points from victory before dropping a 26-24, 25-23, 16-25, 10-25, 15-13 decision to Park Center in the Cardinals 2011 home season finale.

The opening set saw the Cardinals lead by as many as five points, at 15-10, before the Pirates made their move, scoring five consecutive points during a 7-2 run to tie the set at 17-17.

Park Center would take a 20-19 lead and, despite Coon Rapids tying the score twice more, the Pirates would not trail again before taking the opening set.

The second set saw Park Center score first and they would never trail. However, after taking a 23-14 lead and appearing to be well on the way to a second-set victory, the Pirates saw the Cardinals go on an eight-point run behind the service of Kaitlyn Motschenbacher, and a nine-point cushion turned into a one-point lead.

However, Park Center managed to fend off the late charge and hold on for another two-point win.

The momentum from that second set carried over for Coon Rapids, however. The Pirates led briefly, at 9-8, but a six-point run by the Cardinals behind Motschenbacher's service and three kills by Courtney Pasiowitz, separated the two teams and the hosts cruised to a nine-point win in a set which saw Pasiowitz hit .750 with six kills in eight attacks.

Pasiowitz's service in the fourth set helped her team take an eight-point as the Cardinals scored six consecutive points on her serve, three via aces, and the Pirates could get no closer in a 15-point loss which sent the teams into a fifth and deciding set.

The teams traded points to open the final set before the hosts went on a 9-2 run to take a 10-3 lead. From that point, Park Center scored 12 of the final 14 points, including eight of the final, to escape with the victory.

Both Pasiowitz and Olivia Jung finished with career highs with 17 kills. Jung also led the team with 16 digs and three blocks while Pasiowitz had five aces to account for a match-high 22 points.

Liz Penshorn had a career-high 28 assists while converting 46.7 percent of her set attempts. Motschenbacher added eight kills, five aces and 13 digs for the Cardinals.

Coon Rapids returns to action Wed., Oct. 26, when they open Section 5AAA playoff action with a match at Rogers, the second time in 13 days in which the two teams will meet.

For complete statistics from the Park Center match, you can view and download them here.