BOX SCORE

SIOUX CITY, Iowa --- Biola's impressive 2008 season came to an end on Saturday afternoon as GSAC rival Concordia pulled off a 29-27, 25-17, 25-22 sweep in the NAIA National Semifinals.

Senior outside hitter Jessica Buffum closed out an impressive tournament with 11 kills to pace Biola, but she was the lone player to reach double figures as Concordia's defense was equally impressive. Concordia held Biola to a .159 attack percentage in the rubber match between the two schools which had split the season series. 

The match got off to a great start with both teams matching each other stride for stride in the first set. Concordia jumped out to a quick  7-3 lead, but Biola slowly worked its way back to tie the match at 12-12. That would be the first of 15 ties in the game which also featured seven lead changes. Down the stretch the teams remained close with Concordia getting the first chance at game point with a kill by Serrina Russo to go up 24-23. 

Biola fought back with two straight points on a kill by Buffum and a block by Buffum and Kelsey Christoferson to get game point. Concordia came back with two straight points and would serve its second game point but an attack error and kill by Christoferson gave Biola another shot at the game. However, Concordia would record three-straight kills to take the first game 29-27.

In the second, it was Biola's run to go up 7-3 early. But Concordia again came back quickly with a 9-2 run to go back on top at 12-9. Concordia held a slight 14-13 lead after a pair of attack errors, but then turned it on, closing out the game with an 11-4 run to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.

Concordia kept the pressure on in the third game, scoring the first four points and maintaining an edge of at least two points through the first half of the set as the teams battled back and forth. Leading 13-11, Concordia rattled off five-straight points to go up 18-11 in the game, then held off a late Biola surge to win 25-22. 

Concordia was led by Traci Weamer's 15 kills with Amber Ridens adding 11.

Biola did have a good match from its middle hitters as Christoferson had seven kills five blocks while senior Kristen Peterson recorded three kills and five blocks. Senior outside hitter Kelsey Mitchell had seven kills without an error and added four blocks.

Biola finished with 11 blocks to Concordia's five but hit just .159 to Concordia's .195. 

Despite its sudden end, the 2008 season will go down as one of the best in the program's history. Biola finished with a 31-4 record--its best in school history--and reached the NAIA Semifinals for the second-straight season. The team's offensive and defensive numbers rank among the top five in nearly every category in the record books.

Concordia advances to the NAIA Championship match to face No. 1 seed Fresno Pacific University, which defeated California Baptist in three games earlier in the day.