Concordia Academy played like it had nothing to lose against top-seeded Kenyon-Wanamingo, pulling off a five-set upset to return to the Class 2A tournament championship for the second consecutive year.

“We knew that the pressure was on Kenyon-Wanamingo mostly,” said senior Erin Fallert after the fourth-seeded Beacons defeated the Knights in a five-set, back-and-forth thriller, 25-17, 19-25, 29-27, 22-25, 15-10.

The Beacons grabbed the first set, which gave them confidence and kept them fired up, according to Fallert, who had a team-leading seven kills in the set.

“They didn’t let us get on any runs,” said Knights senior Mia Peterson. “We just couldn’t respond.”

Kenyon-Wanamingo did come back to win the second set. In the third the Beacons (26-7) built a 22-14 advantage and looked to be on their way to a victory. But then the Knights (33-2) took over. They went on a 10-1 run that included three consecutive kills from Mara Quam, who had 12 total kills in the set, to take a 24-23 lead. The Beacons responded with kills of their own to hold on for the 29-27 win to go up two sets to one.

In the fourth set, this time it was the Knights that built a comfortable lead before the Beacons went on a 7-0 run for an 18-18 tie. But Quam rotated back up to the front and registered another four kills in the final six points to push the match to a deciding fifth set.

It was just the second loss of the season for the Knights. They lost to Class 1A tournament finalist Caledonia in September.

The Beacons look to finish one victory better than last year, when they finished as the Class 1A runner-up.

“We’re going to come in a lot more confident and ready to battle,” Fallert said. 

Fourth-seeded Concordia Academy upset top-seeded Kenyon-Wanamingo in a five-set thriller, 25-17, 19-25, 29-27, 22-25, 15-10.

After splitting the first two sets, the Beacons (26-7) went up 22-14 in the second set, seemingly on their way to victory. But then the Knights (33-2) took over. They went on a 10-1 run that included three consecutive kills from Mara Quam, who had 12 total kills in the set, to take a 24-23 lead. But the Beacons responded with kills of their own and held for the 29-27 win to go up two sets to one.

In the fourth set, the Knights had a comfortable lead before the Beacons decided to go on a 7-0 run for an 18-18 tie. But Quam rotated back up to the front and registered another four kills in the final six points to push the match to a deciding fifth set.

Kenyon-Wanamingo lost for the second time  this season. The Knights had lost to Class 1A tournament finalist Caledonia in September.

Check back later for more on the match.