The University of Minnesota Duluth had a golden chance to force a three-way tie at the top of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with a win in enemy territory. No. 1 Northern State University dropped a straight-set contest to No. 16 Southwest Minnesota State University opening the door for the seventh-ranked Bulldogs. Unfortunately, the third-ranked Concordia University, St. Paul had other ideas on the matter.

The Golden Bears won the final two sets and pulled away with the four-set victory (25-23, 22-25, 25-19, 25-16) at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul, Minn. Concordia-St. Paul had 62 kills and hit .313 on the night while UMD ended with 58 kills and attacked at a .265 clip. Both offenses were clicking and firing on all cylinders. The Bears, however, had enough firepower to continue into the third and fourth sets while the Bulldogs couldn't keep up with its side of the barrage. 

Concordia-St. Paul hit .286 in the third and a robust .464 in the final set to put away UMD and terminate its four-match winning streak. The Bulldogs countered with only .179 and .200 attack percentages in those third and fourth sets, respectively.

It was a tall task for UMD as it has won only twice in the Gangelhoff Center in now the last nine matches. The Bulldogs were up for the challenge as they won the second set to even the match going into the third. Senior outside hitter Makenzie Morgen walloped five kills in the set. Morgen finished with a season high 19 kills, which led all attackers. Senior right side hitter Sarah Kelly produced a solid outing in the set as well, slamming home four of her six attempts. Sophomore outside hitter Kate Berg had six digs in that set.

Berg might have done well with digging the ball in the second but it was her blocking that gave her team lifeThe Medina, Minn., native finished with four blocks and had a a pair of solo blocks in the opening set that charged up the Bulldogs. The first set was tied late at 21-21 but CSP claimed the first set 25-23. The Bears had 19 kills in that opening set but UMD hit .333 in the first.

The Bulldogs rebounded to take control of the second set. UMD jumped out to a 14-11 lead with kills from Morgen and junior outside hitter Hanna Meyer. The Bulldogs responded with 18 kills of their own in the second set and hit .325.

UMD stayed close for much of third before the Bears went on a 9-3 in the middle of the set. The Bulldogs had difficulties all night in serve reception as Concordia-St. Paul dialed up nine aces, the most allowed by UMD in conference play this year. The Bulldogs had run out of stream in the fourth as mistakes piled up and the score got away. Sydney Book led the Bears with 15 kills as she was one of four hitters for CSP to register double-figure kill totals.

Berg collected her sixth double-double of the season with 10 kills and 12 digs. Morgan also compiled a double-double of her own on 19 kills and 13 digs. The reigning NSIC Setter of the Week Emily Torve had 50 assists -- 15.0 assists per set -- to go along with six digs and two blocks.

UMD (20-5;13-3 NSIC) is on the road again next weekend to close out their regular season road schedule.