2011 Men's Soccer schedule/results

11-5-3 Overall, 5-3-2 GPAC -Season Statistics

AUGUST
Aug. 20	Alumni Game	Seward, Neb.
Aug. 27	William Penn	Seward, Neb.	W 5-0
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 3	William Woods	Fulton, Mo.	W 4-2
Sept. 6	#8 Kansas Wesleyan	Salina, Kan.	L 1-0
Sept. 10	Midland Tournament vs. Ottawa	Fremont, Neb.	W 3-1
Sept. 11	Midland Tournament vs. #11 Bethel University (Tenn.)	Fremont, Neb.	T 0-0 (2 OT)
Sept. 17	Sterling College	Seward, Neb.	W 2-0
Sept. 22	Bethany College	Seward, Neb.	W 3-0
Sept. 24	(RV) Dordt College *	Seward, Neb.	W 4-1
Sept. 28	#1 Hastings College *	Hastings, Neb.	L 3-0
OCTOBER
Oct. 1	Dakota Wesleyan *	Mitchell, S.D.	L 2-0
Oct. 4	York College	York, Neb.	W 7-2
Oct. 8	Mount Marty College *	Seward, Neb.	W 4-0
Oct. 12	Midland University *	Seward, Neb.	W 1-0 (OT)
Oct. 15	Morningside College *	Sioux City, Iowa	T 2-2 (2 OT)
Oct. 19	Nebraska Wesleyan *	Seward, Neb.	W 4-0
Oct. 22	Briar Cliff University *	Seward, Neb.	W 4-1
Oct. 26	Doane College *	Crete, Neb.	T 0-0 (2 OT)
Oct. 29	Northwestern College *	Orange City, Iowa	L 2-1
NOVEMBER
GPAC Tournament:
Nov. 1	Midland University	Fremont, Neb.	L 3-1

*Great Plains Athletic Conference Games

All Home Games in BOLD

2011 Bulldog Men's Soccer

*No.*	*Name*	*Pos.*	*Yr.*	*Hometown*	*Previous School*
00	Skylar Lewis	GK	Jr.	Adel, Iowa	Adel DeSoto Minburn
0	Brendan Buchanan	GK	Fr.	Broomfield, Colo.	Broomfield
1	Chris Podlich	GK	Jr.	Brisbane, Australia	Grace Lutheran
2	Sam Shepherd	D	Fr.	Kansas City, Mo.	Park Hill
3	Daniel Moore	D	Fr.	Fruita, Colo.	Central
4	Jeremiah Majorins	D	Sr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran
5	Nick Esser	MF	Sr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran
6	Kurt O'Kelly	D	Sr.	Littleton, Colo.	Lutheran Parker
7	Kolt O'Kelly	F	Sr.	Littleton, Colo.	Lutheran Parker
8	Matt Brink	MF	Sr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran
9	Tyler Groskurth	MF	Sr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran
10	Todd May	MF	Jr.	Brighton, England	Douglas College
11	Eric Fox	D	Jr.	Smithville, MO	Smithville
12	Nathan Douglas	F	So.	Winnipeg, Can.	Westgate Mennonite
13	Nate Friesner	MF	Jr.	Shawnee, Kan.	Mill Valley
14	Chris DeFeyter	MF	Fr..	Scottsdale, Ariz.	Saguaro
15	Aaron Skipworth	F	Jr.	Colorado Springs, Colo.	Fort Collins
16	Tim Soenksen	MF	Sr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran
17	Raul Lopez	MF	Sr.	El Paso, Texas	Andress
19	Blake Kirchner	D	Fr.	Burnsville, Minn.	Concordia Academy
20	Kevin Soenksen	MF	Fr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran
21	Jonathan Avalos	D	Jr.	Napa, Calif.	Jefferson College
22	Carlos Bolanos	F	Jr.	Surprise, Ariz.	Willow Canyon
23	Ian Euler	MF	Jr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Northstar
24	Nathanael Steadman	D	Sr.	Lake Ozark, Mo.	Osage
27	Steven Toensing	D	Jr.	Beecher, Ill.	Beecher
28	Jacob Toensing	F	Fr.	Beecher, Ill.	Beecher
29	Tom Gass	MF	Jr.	Lincoln, Neb.	UNL
31	Josh Blankenship	GK	So.	Ft. Myers, Fla.	Cypress Lake
32	Andy Larson	GK	Fr.	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Southeast
33	Ryan Miller	GK	Fr.	Sioux City, Iowa	Heelan

Coaching staff

Head coach: Jason Weides

Assistant coach: Benny Hanaphy

Assistant coach: Nick Holmes

Concordia men's soccer looks to reach new heights in 2011

11 AUG 2011

Concordia University tied for seventh in the 2011 GPAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Bulldogs posted a 7-10-2 overall record with a 4-7 mark in conference play during the 2010 season.

Last year, the Bulldogs ended the regular season on a five-game losing streak but still managed to qualify for the GPAC Postseason Tournament. Concordia lost in the opening round to eventual National Champion Hastings College. Coach Jason Weides, now entering his fourth year as head coach, looks for his 2011 squad to reach new heights.

“We have so many goals and expectations for the team this year,” said Weides. “We are eyeing a spot in the GPAC Championship game. From there, it is a one-game playoff to earn a trip to Nationals.”

With a total of 15 returning letter winners and a talented recruiting class, it’s easy to see why Coach Weides is optimistic about the 2011 season. “We will have the largest senior class in my time here at Concordia, and that will give us plenty of experienced leaders,” noted Weides. “I also believe many of the newcomers will immediately compete for starting spots and significant minutes.”

Concordia had three players receive GPAC honors following the 2010 season. Aaron Skipworth was a second team All-GPAC performer, while Todd May and Kurt O’Kelly were honorable mention All-GPAC selections a year ago. Those three, along with sophomore Nathan Douglas, will lead the way for Concordia in 2011.

Skipworth scored a team-high nine goals and added four assists last season. O’Kelly started 18 games as a defender for the Bulldogs in his junior season, and May delivered five goals and two assists in just 12 starts. Douglas totaled seven goals (2nd-Team) and five assists as a freshman in 2010. Coach Weides will look to this group to be especially influential to the success of the 2011 squad.

“Aaron and Nathan were our top two point scorers last year, so they should again be influential in scoring goals,” remarked Weides. “Todd will be an important figure in the midfield helping to dictate the pace of the game. Kurt will help command and anchor a relatively young backline. We should be solid in possession and moving forward. We return most of our attacking players, so we should build on our dynamic attacking play.”

Several other starters also return in 2011. Jeremiah Majorins, Kolt O’Kelly, Eric Fox, Tim Soenksen, Raul Lopez and Ian Euler all contributed significantly during the 2010 season. Chris Podlich also returns in goal for the Bulldogs. Podlich started 16 games in goal last season and totaled 101 saves and two shutouts on the year.

Hastings College, Doane College and Sioux Falls were the top teams in the GPAC last season, and Hastings won the 2010 NAIA Championship. Even with the departure of Sioux Falls, the GPAC should again be balanced with several talented teams. “Hastings should be the preseason GPAC favorite,” said Weides. “They had a great run last year to win the national championship, and they return the bulk of their team. But the great thing about the GPAC in men’s soccer is that every game is a challenge.”

The Bulldogs open the regular season at home against William Penn on August 27. Conference play begins on September 24, and there are eight scheduled home contests on the 2011 schedule.

“This team is going to be fun to work with, because they all know that we are capable of reaching new heights this year,” added Weides. “Our athletes appear hungry to prove themselves, and I expect that they will approach all of our games with great confidence.”

Bulldogs open 2011 season with 5-0 win over William Penn

27 AUG 2011

Concordia University 5, William Penn University 0 (view stats)

Concordia University picked up an easy 5-0 men’s soccer win over William Penn University on Saturday afternoon in Seward. The Bulldogs controlled play throughout the contest to pick up the win in the opening contest of the year for both teams.

"It was a good team effort from top to bottom today,” remarked Jason Weides, head coach of the Bulldogs. “We tied this team last year, so it’s a good sign that we controlled play today like we did.”

The Bulldogs seized control early and took a 2-0 lead into halftime. Aaron Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored the first goal of the contest off assists by Chris DeFeyter and Ian Euler (Lincoln, Neb.). Later in the half, William Penn goalie Sam Gurksi was caught out of position, and Nathan Douglas (Winnipeg, Can.) found the corner of the goal to put Concordia up 2-0. Concordia held a 13-5 overall shot advantage with an 8-2 advantage in shots on goal in the opening half of play.

“We struggled a little bit at the start of the game but found our rhythm as the first half went on,” added Weides. “We tried to apply heavy pressure early, and our guys were hungry for more goals as the game went on.”

Concordia poured it on in the second half. The Bulldogs continued to control the play and totaled 18 shots in the final half. Skipworth scored his second goal of the game early in the second half to put the Bulldogs up by three. Douglas added his second goal of the game at the 76-minute mark to make the score 4-0. Nate Friesner (Shawnee, Kan.) scored the final goal of the contest off a nice assist by Raul Lopez (El Paso, Texas), and the Bulldogs secured the 5-0 victory.

Despite the convincing win, Coach Weides saw some things he’d like to improve. “William Penn created some dangerous situations at times during the match, so I’d like for us to tighten up our defensive shifts,” noted Weides. “I’d also like for us to change speeds a little more throughout the game. Today, we played at a pretty consistent and fast pace. I would like us to dictate the tempo and pace more than we did today.”

For the game, Concordia held a 31-11 advantage in total shots. Kolt O’Kelly (Littleton, Colo.) led Concordia with eight total shots (four on goal). Skipworth and Douglas combined for nine shots on the afternoon. Brendan Buchanan picked up the win in goal in his first career start for the Bulldogs. The freshman made five saves on the day.

“Today was definitely a good start for us,” said Weides. “A lot of players gave us quality minutes, and guys produced on both sides of the ball. I thought our players had a great attitude entering today’s game, and we played well.”

Concordia travels to William Woods on September 4.

Concordia picks up 4-2 win on the road at William Woods

3 SEP 2011

Concordia University 4, William Woods University 2 (view stats)

Nathan Douglas scored a pair of goals. Ian Euler and Aaron Skipworth added a goal and an assist apiece, and the Concordia University men’s soccer team improved to 2-0 on the season with a 4-2 win over William Woods on Saturday.

The Owls jumped on top early in the match, as Joao Paulo Parra scored just four minutes into the contest. Concordia quickly responded with three straight goals to close out the first half. Douglas (Winnipeg, Can.) scored his first off an assist by Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to tie the game at 1-1. Skipworth then gave the Bulldogs the lead at the 30-minute mark following an assist by Euler (Lincoln, Neb.). Euler then scored in the 37th minute to give Concordia a 3-0 advantage heading into halftime.

The score remained the same until the 79th minute. Paulo Parra scored his second of the game for William Woods to cut the Bulldog lead to one at 3-2. However, less than four minutes later, Douglas put home his second goal of the match to secure the 4-2 victory for the Bulldogs. Douglas now has a team-best four goals through the first two games of the year, while Skipworth has already scored three to lead the way for Concordia offensively. Brendan Buchanan (Broomfield, Colo.) made three saves and picked up the win in goal.

Concordia travels to #10 Kansas Wesleyan University on September 6. Game time is set for 8 p.m. in Salina, Kan.

#8 Kansas Wesleyan shuts out Concordia, 1-0

7 SEP 2011

#8 Kansas Wesleyan University 1, Concordia University 0 (view stats)

Kansas Wesleyan, rated 8th in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, held on for a 1-0 men’s soccer win over Concordia University on Tuesday evening. The host Coyotes improved to 2-0. Concordia dropped its first match of the year to fall to 2-1.

Kansas Wesleyan held a commanding 23-4 shot advantage in the match. Concordia managed just two shots on goal on the night. Jose Velasco scored the only goal of the game in the 39th minute. Concordia goalie Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Australia) made a save on Velasco’s initial shot, but Velasco scored off the rebound to put the Coyotes on top for good. Alex Montiel made two saves and earned the win in goal for the Coyotes.

Jeremiah Majorins (Lincoln, Neb.) and Kolt O’Kelly (Littleton, Colo.) had the only shots on goal for Concordia in the loss. Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Australia), making his first start of the season, made seven saves for the Bulldogs.

Concordia will travel to Fremont to compete in the Midland University Tournament on September 10 and 11. The Bulldogs will play Ottawa and Bethel University (Tenn.) in tournament play.

Bulldogs move to 3-1 on the year with win over Ottawa University

10 SEP 2011

Concordia University 3, Ottawa University 1 (view stats)

A pair of goals in the second half lifted the Concordia University men’s soccer team to a 3-1 win over Ottawa University on Saturday at the Midland University tournament. The Bulldogs improved to 3-1 on the year with the victory.

Ian Euler (Lincoln, Neb.) scored the opening goal of the game to put the Bulldogs on top. A goal by Ottawa’s Paul Oswald tied the score at 1-1, and the score remained the same heading into halftime.

Early in the second half, Todd May (Brighton, England) scored to put the Bulldogs back on top by the score of 2-1. Euler picked up the assist. With just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest, Kolt O’Kelly (Littleton, Colo.) scored a penalty kick goal for the final score of 3-1.

The Bulldogs finished with 11 shots in the match. Chris Podlich made three saves to pick up the win in goal.

Concordia faces #11 Bethel University (Tenn.) at 1 p.m. on Sunday to conclude play in the Midland Tournament.

Concordia and #11 Bethel University play to 0-0 tie at Midland Tournament

11 SEP 2011

Concordia University 0, #11 Bethel University (Tenn.) 0 (2 OT) (view stats)

The Bulldog men’s soccer team played to a 0-0 tie with #11 Bethel University (Tenn.) on Sunday afternoon at the Midland University Tournament. Concordia now sits at 3-1-1 on the year, while Bethel moved to 1-1-2 on the season.

The match featured nine yellow cards and a Bethel University red card in the 81st minute. The teams combined for 35 fouls in the match. The Wildcats held a 19-6 shot advantage and finished with 10 shots on goal compared to just four for Concordia.

The Bulldog defense stayed strong, however, and goalie Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Australia) made 10 saves on the day. Jonathan Avalos (Napa, Calif.) led the Bulldogs with two shots on goal. Nathan Douglas (Winnipeg, Can.) and Ian Euler (Lincoln, Neb.) also had shots on goal for Concordia.

Stefan Zalad made four saves for Bethel University. Dwayne Smith had a match-best three shots on goal for the Wildcats.

Concordia returns home to host Sterling College on September 17.

Bulldogs pull away for 2-0 win over Sterling College

17 SEP 2011

Concordia University 2, Sterling College 0 (view stats)

Concordia University scored two goals within four minutes in the second half, and the Bulldogs secured a 2-0 men’s soccer win over Sterling College on Saturday afternoon in Seward. The Bulldogs improved their record to 4-1-1 on the year, while Sterling remained winless at 0-6-1.

Tim Soenksen (Lincoln, Neb.) put the Bulldogs on top early in the second half. Nathan Douglas (Winnipeg, Can.) had the assist. Douglas then added a penalty kick goal less than four minutes later to give the Bulldogs the 2-0 advantage.

Sterling College totaled nine shots in the game, but Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Australia) and Brendan Buchanan (Broomfield, Colo.) combined to make four saves on the day. Podlich picked up the win in goal for the Bulldogs.

Jordan Cabrera allowed the two goals and made just one save on the day for Sterling College. Victor Sanchez and Brennen Hodge had two shots apiece for the Warriors.

Concordia hosts Bethany College on September 22 at 6:15 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.

Bulldogs continue solid play with 3-0 win over Bethany College

22 SEP 2011

Concordia University 3, Bethany College 0 (view stats)

The Concordia University men’s soccer team continued its impressive start to the 2011 season with a 3-0 win over Bethany College on Thursday evening in Seward. The Bulldogs improved to 5-1-1 on the year with the victory, while Bethany remained winless at 0-6-1.

Concordia jumped out to a fast start and controlled play early in the match. Aaron Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored his fourth goal of the season to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage. Chris DeFeyter (Scottsdale, Ariz.) had a nice assist on the play. Concordia had several other scoring opportunities in the first half but settled for the 1-0 halftime lead.

Early in the second half, Nathan Douglas (Winnipeg, Can.) scored his team-best fifth goal of the season to increase the Bulldog lead to 2-0. Skipworth was credited with the assist. Later in the half, Tyler Groskurth (Lincoln, Neb.) gave Concordia some insurance with his first goal of the season. Nick Esser (Lincoln, Neb.) had the assist, and the Bulldogs secured the 3-0 victory.

Bethany totaled 20 shots overall with 15 shots on goal in the contest. However, many of those came from distance, and Concordia goalies Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Aus.) and Brendan Buchanan (Broomfield, Colo.) had little trouble in the match. Podlich had four saves in the first half, and Buchanan totaled 11 saves in the second half.

Concordia hosts Dordt College on Saturday to open GPAC play. Dordt College (7-0 on the year) received votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll. The match is scheduled to begin at 3:15 on Saturday at Bulldog Stadium.

Bulldogs jump out early, pick up big 4-1 win over Dordt College

24 SEP 2011

Concordia University 4, (RV) Dordt College 1 (view stats)

Concordia University jumped out to a quick lead and picked up a big 4-1 men’s soccer win over Dordt College on Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Stadium. It was the GPAC-opening game for both teams. The Bulldogs won their third straight to move to 6-1-1 overall and 1-0 in GPAC play. Concordia also improved to 4-0 at home so far this year. Dordt College, who received votes in last week’s NAIA Top 25 Poll, dropped its first game of the season to fall to 7-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

The Bulldogs grabbed momentum and took control of the game early in the first half. Concordia scored three goals in the first 20 minutes, and defensive pressure kept Dordt College from getting anything going. Tim Soenksen (Lincoln, Neb.) scored off a corner kick to put the Bulldogs in front just three minutes into the contest. Aaron Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) added to the Bulldog lead with a goal in the 12th minute. It was Skipworth’s fifth goal of the season. Ian Euler (Lincoln, Neb.) added a goal in the 19th minute to increase the lead to 3-0. Skipworth had the assist on Euler’s goal.

“Our guys were ready to play right from the beginning,” remarked Jason Weides, head coach of the Bulldogs. “They were excited to start conference play against some quality competition. We wanted to show that we’ve improved, and we did that today. We looked really sharp in the attack, especially in the first 20 minutes.”

Following the tremendous start, Concordia struggled down the stretch in the first half. Dordt College scored in the 33rd minute to cut Concordia’s lead to two at 3-1. Brady Van Holland had the goal for the Defenders, and Concordia took a 3-1 lead into halftime.

“We didn’t want to be satisfied with half a performance,” said Weides. “We played so well early on, but we didn’t finish the first half as well. We addressed it at halftime. We can sometimes win games by putting in half a performance, but we can’t win championships that way. If we want to be where we can be, we need to be consistent.”

The score remained the same until late in the second half. Concordia’s Nick Esser (Lincoln, Neb.) used his speed to get past several Dordt College players. Esser found Kolt O’Kelly (Littleton, Colo.) wide open in front of the net, and O’Kelly scored for the final score of 4-1.

“We have the ability to score from all areas of the field,” added Weides. “We don’t rely on just one guy. We’ve been very dynamic in our attack, and we’ve been able to create goals in a lot of ways."

Concordia held a 19-9 shot advantage in the contest. Dordt College finished with just two shots on goal. Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Aus.) made just one save but earned the win in net for the Bulldogs. Brian Verwolf made three saves and allowed the four goals in a losing effort for Dordt College.

The Bulldogs now travel to Hastings College on September 28 for a key GPAC contest against the Broncos. Hastings College is coming off a National Championship season in 2010, and the Broncos are again ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Top 25 Poll. Coach Weides discussed the early season matchup.

“Today meant a lot to us in terms of confidence,” said Weides. “Dordt came in on a roll with an undefeated record, and Hastings College is obviously off to a tremendous start as well. Our team doesn’t fear anyone. We’ve shown we have depth, and we’ll have to utilize that depth as we move through the conference season, especially against a team like Hastings.”

Concordia receives votes in latest NAIA Top 25

27 SEPT 2011

The Concordia University men’s soccer team received votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday. Concordia joins Hastings College as the only two GPAC schools recognized in this week’s poll.

The Bulldogs took care of Dordt College by the score of 4-1 on Saturday at Bulldog Stadium to move to 6-1-1 on the year. Dordt College, who received votes in last week’s NAIA Top 25 Poll, was undefeated at 7-0 entering Saturday’s contest. Concordia scored three goals in the first 20 minutes of the game on their way to the convincing 4-1 victory.

Things won’t get any easier for the Bulldogs, as they travel to Hastings College on Wednesday evening. Hastings College, ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Top 25, is a perfect 8-0 on the season.

#1 Hastings College defeats Concordia for 34th straight win

28 SEP 2011

#1 Hastings College 3, (RV) Concordia University 0 (view stats)

Top-ranked Hastings College picked up its 34th straight win with a 3-0 victory over Concordia University on Wednesday evening in Hastings. The Broncos held a commanding 21-5 shot advantage and pulled away down the stretch against a shorthanded Bulldog squad. The Broncos improved to 8-0 on the year with a 2-0 mark in conference play. Concordia had its three-game winning streak snapped to fall to 6-2-1 overall and 1-1 in the GPAC.

Hastings found the net early in the contest to take a 1-0 advantage. Thomas Lebourn Boss scored following a Bronco corner kick. The Broncos took the 1-0 lead into halftime. Early in the second half, Jake Ramsay scored to increase the Hastings lead to 2-0. Ryan Robinson was credited with the assist on the second goal of the match. Jordan Green added an insurance goal for the Broncos off an assist by Matt Wadleigh for the final of 3-0. Hastings finished with 21 shots and 11 shots on goal. Nate Polak had a match-high seven shots for the Broncos. Cody Poteat picked up the win in goal.

Concordia totaled just two shots on goal in the match. The Bulldogs played without forward Aaron Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and midfielder Todd May (Brighton, England). Tim Soenksen (Lincoln, Neb.) and Ian Euler (Lincoln, Neb.) had the only two shots on goal for the Bulldogs. Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Aus.) made eight saves and suffered the loss in goal for Concordia.

The Bulldogs travel to Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday for a GPAC matchup against the Tigers.

Concordia suffers 2-0 loss at Dakota Wesleyan

1 OCT 2011

Dakota Wesleyan University 2, Concordia University 0 (view stats)

The Bulldog men’s soccer team dropped its second straight GPAC contest with a 2-0 loss at Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday. The host Tigers improved to 4-5 overall with a 2-1 record in the GPAC. Concordia, who received votes in last week’s NAIA Top 25 Poll, dropped to 6-3-1 overall and 1-2 in the GPAC.

Hugo Gonzalez scored to in the 25th minute to put Dakota Wesleyan on top. The score remained the same until the 65th minute, when Eric Moller added an insurance goal for the Tigers. Eric Christianson was credited with the assist on DWU’s second goal of the game.

Each team finished with 12 shots in the contest, but Concordia managed just four shots on goal. Brendan Buchanan (Broomfield, Colo.) made five saves but suffered the loss in net for the Bulldogs. Jordan Werner made four saves and picked up the shutout for Dakota Wesleyan.

Concordia will step out of conference play when they travel to York College on October 4.

Bulldogs cruise past York College, 7-2

4 OCT 2011

Concordia University 7, York College 2 (view stats)

Concordia snapped a short losing streak with a convincing 7-2 men’s soccer win over York College on Tuesday afternoon in York. The Bulldogs held a 3-1 halftime advantage and pulled away in the second half. Aaron Skipworth highlighted the Concordia win with a hat trick. Concordia improved to 7-3-1 on the year. York College dropped to 3-7-2.

The game featured five yellow cards and a pair of red cards. The teams also combined for 14 fouls in the contest. Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) opened the Bulldog scoring with a goal in the fifth minute. Raul Lopez (El Paso, Texas) picked up the assist on the opening goal. Less than seven minutes later, Concordia added to its lead with a goal by Kurt O’Kelly (Littleton, Colo.). Ian Euler (Lincoln, Neb.) had the assist for the Bulldogs. In the 17th minute, Concordia’s Chris DeFeyter (Scottsdale, Ariz.) put the Bulldogs up by three off an assist by Skipworth. York College got on the board with less than 10 minutes remaining in the opening half. Chris Kistenoglu had the goal for the Panthers.

Skipworth added his second and third goals of the game early in the second half, and Concordia quickly grabbed a 5-1 lead. Matt Brink (Lincoln, Neb.) and Kolt O’Kelly (Littleton, Colo.) added goals in the second half to increase the Concordia lead to 7-1. York’s Rafael Batista scored with 12 minutes remaining for the final score of 7-2. Garrett Brown was credited with the assist on York’s final goal.

Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Australia) saw the majority of the action in goal for the Bulldogs. Podlich made four saves in the game. Brendan Buchanan (Broomfield, Colo.) also saw time in goal in the Bulldog win. Skipworth now has a team-high eight goals on the year.

Luis Arevalo made five saves but suffered the loss for the Panthers.

Concordia returns to GPAC play on Saturday with a home game against Mount Marty. The game is scheduled for 7:30 pm on Homecoming Saturday at Bulldog Stadium.

Douglas and Esser lead the way in 4-0 win over Mount Marty

8 OCT 2011

Concordia University 4, Mount Marty College 0 (view stats)

Concordia University pulled away for a 4-0 GPAC men’s soccer win over Mount Marty College on Saturday evening in Seward. Nathan Douglas had two goals, and Nick Esser had a goal and two assists to highlight the Bulldog win. Concordia improved to 8-3-1 (2-2 GPAC), while Mount Marty dropped to 1-10 (0-5 GPAC).

Mount Marty played most of the match with just 10 players, as starting goalie Oscar Martinez-Mojica got a red card in the 18th minute. He tackled Concordia’s Chris DeFeyter (Scottsdale, Ariz.) inside the box, resulting in a penalty kick for Concordia. DeFeyter scored on the penalty kick to give the Bulldogs the early advantage. Just before halftime, Douglas (Winnipeg, Can.) scored his first of the game to increase the lead to 2-0. Esser (Lincoln, Neb.) was credited with the assist.

Concordia tacked on two more goals late in the second half. Douglas scored off another assist by Esser, and Esser added an unassisted goal with less than two minutes remaining in regulation for the final of 4-0. The Bulldogs finished with 14 shots overall with eight shots on goal. Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Aus.) made four saves to pick up the win in net for the Bulldogs.

Jose Marquez-Garcia had a match-high five shots to lead the way for Mount Marty. Jeremiah Kiehn allowed the four goals and made three saves for the visiting Lancers.

Concordia hosts Midland University on October 12.

Skipworth picks up GPAC soccer honor

11 OCT 2011

Concordia’s Aaron Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) is the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Soccer Offensive Player-of-the-Week. The junior forward played a key role in Concordia’s wins over York College and Mount Marty College last week.

The Bulldogs got back on the winning track with a convincing 7-2 win over York College to open last week. Skipworth had a huge day. He had a hat trick and added an assist in the Bulldog victory. Skipworth now has a team-high eight goals scored on the year.

With the two wins last week, Concordia improved to 8-3-1 overall on the season. The Bulldogs are 2-2 in conference play entering this week’s games against Midland University (Oct. 12) and at Morningside College (Oct. 15).

Overtime goal by Douglas gives Concordia 1-0 win over Midland

12 OCT 2011

Concordia University 1, Midland University 0 (OT) (view stats)

Nathan Douglas scored on a free kick in the first overtime period to lift Concordia to a 1-0 GPAC men’s soccer win over Midland University on Wednesday evening in Seward. The Bulldogs won their third straight to improve to 9-3-1 (3-2 GPAC). Midland dropped to 6-6-1 (3-3 GPAC).

The visiting Warriors held the shot advantage throughout the contest. Midland totaled 32 shots (16 on goal) compared to 11 total shots (five on goal) for the Bulldogs. However, Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Aus.) and the Concordia defense stayed strong. Podlich finished with 16 saves on the night.

Midway through the first overtime, Douglas (Winnipeg, Can.) was taken down just outside the penalty box to earn a free kick. The Warriors set up a wall, but Douglas’ shot found the corner of the net for the game-winner. After the game, Douglas talked about the goal.

“I knew the keeper was on the opposite side, so I just wanted to drop it over the wall and give it a chance,” remarked Douglas, who is now tied for the team lead with eight goals on the season.

Andy Jones had a game-high 12 shots for Midland University on the night. Lewis Wilcox made four saves but suffered the loss in net for the Warriors.

Douglas and Nate Friesner (Shawnee, Kan.) each had three shots to lead the way for the Bulldogs. Concordia will take its 3-game winning streak on the road this weekend when they face Morningside College on Saturday afternoon. Douglas discussed the road ahead for the Bulldogs.

“We really fought through it tonight against a very good Midland team,” noted Douglas. “We kept pushing, and our fans here at home have a huge impact on us. That’s why we’re 6-0 at home this season. We have five games remaining in conference play, and we would obviously like to win out. We earned a tough win tonight. We’d like to have some home games come playoff time, so every game the rest of the season is very important.”

Bulldogs play to 2-2 tie with Morningside College

15 OCT 2011

Concordia University 2, Morningside College 2 (2 OT) (view stats)

Concordia played to a 2-2 GPAC men’s soccer tie with Morningside College on Saturday in Sioux City. The Bulldogs moved to 9-3-2 overall and 3-2-1 in the GPAC. Morningside moved to 3-11-1 overall and 1-5-1 in the GPAC.

Concordia struck first with a goal by Aaron Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) in the 21st minute. Kurt O’Kelly (Littleton, Colo.) picked up the assist on Skipworth’s ninth goal of the season. Concordia took the 1-0 advantage into halftime.

Morningside tied the game with a goal just four minutes into the second half. Kory Kraker scored off an assist by Forrest Maxon. The host Mustangs took a 2-1 lead later in the half on a goal by Blake Fostvedt. Erick Ortiz had the assist.

With less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Nathan Douglas (Winnipeg, Can.) scored on a penalty kick to knot the score at 2-2. No goals were scored down the stretch or in either overtime period, so the teams settled for the 2-2 tie.

Concordia finished with 23 total shots (12 on goal) in the game. Tim Soenksen (Lincoln, Neb.) led the way for the Bulldogs with six total shots. Douglas added five shots with four on goal. Both Skipworth and Douglas have nine goals on the year to lead the team. Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Aus.) made four saves in goal for the Bulldogs.

Morningside finished with 13 total shots (six on goal). Kraker and Mike Marian each had three shots to pace the Mustangs. Daniel Whithorn made 10 saves for Morningside.

Concordia hosts Nebraska Wesleyan on October 19 with scheduled start time at 7:15 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.

Bulldogs knock off Nebraska Wesleyan for 10th win of season

20 OCT 2011

Concordia University 4, Nebraska Wesleyan University 0 (view stats)

Concordia took the lead just before halftime and pulled away for a 4-0 men’s soccer win over Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday evening. The Bulldogs are 4-0-1 in their last five matches and now sit at 10-3-2 overall and 4-2-1 in conference play. Wesleyan dropped to 5-10 (3-4 GPAC).

With less than two minutes remaining in the first half, Tim Soenksen (Lincoln, Neb.) scored his third of the season to put the Bulldogs on top. Aaron Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) picked up the assist. Fairly early in the second half, Concordia got back-to-back goals from Ian Euler (Lincoln, Neb.) and Nathan Douglas (Winnipeg, Can.) to take a 3-0 lead. The goals were scored less than two minutes apart. Matt Brink (Lincoln, Neb.) added a late goal for Concordia for the final score of 4-0.

The Bulldogs held a slight 23-19 shot advantage in the contest. Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Aus.) played the first 77 minutes in goal and made three saves on the night. Brendan Buchanan (Broomfield, Colo.) made two saves in the final 12 + minutes of play. Turner Mead made seven saves but took the loss in net for the Prairie Wolves.

Concordia hosts Briar Cliff this Saturday evening on Senior Night at Bulldog Stadium.

Concordia rolls past Briar Cliff, 4-1

22 OCT 2011

Concordia University 4, Briar Cliff University 1 (view stats)

Nate Friesner scored two goals and added an assist, and the Concordia University men’s soccer team picked up a 4-1 win over Briar Cliff University on Senior Night at Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs improved to 11-3-2 on the year with a 5-2-1 mark in GPAC play. Concordia is currently second in the conference standings. Briar Cliff dropped to 6-7-1 (3-5 GPAC).

Concordia got off to a fast start, as Kolt O’Kelly (Littleton, Colo.) scored in the third minute. Friesner (Shawnee, Kan.) and Nathan Douglas (Winnipeg, Can.) picked up the assists on O’Kelly’s fourth goal of the season. Friesner followed with his first goal of the game in the 20th minute. Just over a minute later, Jonathan Avalos (Napa, Calif.) scored his first goal of the season to increase the Concordia lead to 3-0. With less than five minutes to play in the first half, Friesner added his second of the game (third of the season) to give Concordia a 4-0 advantage heading into halftime. Following the game, Bulldog senior Kolt O’Kelly talked about Concordia’s fast start. “It was really nice to get a couple of quick goals and put them in a hole early on,” said O’Kelly. “The first couple of goals got us going, and we were able to build some momentum early in the game.”

Briar Cliff avoided the shutout with a goal early in the second half. Stephan Salansky picked up the goal for the Chargers, who totaled 10 shots (four on goal) in the contest. Kyle King made six saves and took the loss in net for BCU.

Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Aus.) played the first 62 minutes in goal for the Bulldogs and made one save. Brendan Buchanan (Broomfield, Colo.) made two saves in the final 27 minutes. Concordia totaled 24 shots (10 on goal) in the contest.

Concordia concludes the regular season with road contests at Doane College (Oct. 26) and Northwestern College (Oct. 29). The Bulldogs will look to build upon what has been a very impressive stretch. The Bulldogs are 5-0-1 since October 4. O’Kelly discussed the final stretch of the season.

“We need to continue doing the things that have helped us get to this point,” remarked O’Kelly. “We need to keep working hard, and we don’t want to lose sight of who we are. We really trust each other, and it’s always nice to play with confidence like we have been. We have some big games coming up, and we hope to have a pretty good fan base at Doane next week. We look forward to the atmosphere at these road games, and hopefully we can finish the regular season strong.”

Bulldogs and Tigers play to 0-0 tie

26 OCT 2011

(RV) Concordia University 0, Doane College 0 (2 OT) (view stats)

Concordia University played to a 0-0 tie with Doane College in GPAC men’s soccer on Wednesday evening in Crete. The Bulldogs moved to 11-3-3 (5-2-2 GPAC), while Doane moved to 7-8-1 overall (5-3-1 GPAC). Concordia is now third in the GPAC standings heading into Saturday’s contest at Northwestern College.

Concordia totaled four shots in the opening half of play compared to three for the Tigers, but the game remained scoreless at the half. Each team totaled seven shots in the second half, but again, neither team could put home a goal. Doane played the final 16 minutes of the second half a man down following a red card given to Justin Hill.

Bulldog goalie Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Aus.) made six saves in regulation, while Doane goalie Greg Beall made four saves in the first 90 minutes for the Tigers.

Doane College held a 4-1 shot advantage in the first overtime period. Podlich made two saves in the period. Each team had one shot in the final overtime, but the game ended in the 0-0 tie.

Doane finished with a 15-13 overall shot advantage on the night. The Tigers put eight shots on goal compared to five for the Bulldogs. Aaron Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) totaled a match-high seven shots to lead Concordia. Jake Miller and Tom Heavey each had four shots for Doane. Podlich finished with eight saves on the night, while Doane’s Greg Beall made five saves in the first 108 minutes of play. Eric Emerson finished the game in goal for the Tigers.

Northwestern holds on for 2-1 win over Concordia

29 OCT 2011

Northwestern College 2, Concordia University 1 (view stats)

Northwestern College held on for a 2-1 GPAC men’s soccer win over Concordia on Saturday evening in Orange City. It was a key contest for both teams in terms of conference standings. Northwestern improved to 11-6-1 overall (6-4 in GPAC), while Concordia dropped to 11-4-3 overall (5-3-2 in GPAC). Concordia and Doane College ended the regular season with equal 5-3-2 marks in conference play.

Mario Garcia opened the scoring for Northwestern College with a goal in the 12th minute. Taylor Biggs picked up the assist for the Raiders. Concordia quickly answered with an unassisted goal by Nathan Douglas (Winnipeg, Canada). It was Douglas’ team-best 11th goal of the year. In the 29th minute, however, Gabriel Goncalves scored to put the Raiders back on top. Travis Sytsma delivered a corner kick for the Raiders, and Goncalves found the back of the net for the final score of 2-1.

The Raiders held a slim 16-14 shot advantage in the win. Northwestern had four corner kicks in the contest compared to just two for the Bulldogs. Garcia had a team-high three shots for Northwestern. Alex Plagge made three saves to earn the win. Douglas had a match-high five shots for Concordia in a losing effort. Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Australia) made five saves but was saddled with the loss.

Concordia will await the announcement of the 2011 GPAC Tournament bracket. The Bulldogs will open play in the GPAC Tournament on November 1. The tournament brackets will be released yet this weekend, so fans are encouraged to check www.cune.edu/athletics for times and locations for Bulldog postseason soccer.

Bulldogs bow out of GPAC Tournament with 3-1 loss at Midland

1 NOV 2011

Midland University 3, Concordia University 1 (view stats)

Concordia University was eliminated from the GPAC Men’s Soccer Tournament on Tuesday afternoon with a 3-1 loss at Midland University. The Warriors moved to 10-8-1 on the year and advanced to the semi-finals of the GPAC Tournament. Concordia ended the year at 11-5-3.

Midland jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a goal by Paul Cox in the 13th minute. Cox scored following a Midland University corner kick. Concordia tied the game at 1-1 with just five minutes left in the opening half. Kolt O’Kelly (Littleton, Colo.) scored his fifth goal of the season to even the score.

In the 65th minute, Cox struck again to put the Warriors back on top. Cox put home his second of the match and ninth of the season to give Midland a 2-1 advantage. Nate Husak added an insurance goal for the Warriors to put the game away in the 83rd minute. Cox was credited with the assist on the final goal of the game.

The Warriors held a 21-13 shot advantage in the match. Midland put 10 shots on goal in the win. Andy Jones had a match-high six shots to lead Midland, while Lewis Wilcox made six saves in goal for the Warriors, who will take on either Briar Cliff or Dakota Wesleyan in the GPAC semi-finals.

Concordia totaled 13 overall shots with seven shots on goal in the loss. Nathan Douglas (Winnipeg, Canada) and Aaron Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) paced Concordia with four shots apiece. Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Australia) suffered the loss after making seven saves but allowing the three goals.

Douglas and O'Kelly earn second team All-GPAC honors

15 NOV 2011

Bulldog men’s soccer players Nathan Douglas and Kurt O’Kelly earned GPAC postseason honors on Monday for their efforts in the 2011 season. Both were second team All-GPAC selections, while Chris Podlich, Chris DeFeyter and Aaron Skipworth all received honorable mention recognition.

Douglas (Winnipeg, Canada) had a strong sophomore campaign for the Bulldogs at the forward position. He led the team with 11 goals scored and also added three assists for a team-high 25 points on the year. Douglas had one game-winning goal on the season.

O’Kelly (Littleton, Colo.) started all 19 games as a defender for the Bulldogs in his senior season. He finished with one goal and one assist on the year and was a team leader on a young back line for Concordia.

Podlich (Brisbane, Australia) was 9-4-3 in goal for the Bulldogs in 2011. He made 91 saves on the season and finished with an impressive 0.95 goals against average. DeFeyter (Scottsdale, Ariz.) started all 19 games for the Bulldogs in his freshman season. He totaled two goals and one assist for five total points. DeFeyter also added two game-winning goals on the season. Skipworth (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was second on the team with nine goals scored on the year. The junior forward also tied for the team-high with four assists to finish with a total of 22 points in 2011.

The Bulldogs were 11-5-3 during the 2011 season.

Concordia places two on men's soccer NAIA scholar-athlete list

2 DEC 2011

The 2011 men’s soccer Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes were announced on Friday. A total of 286 men’s soccer student-athletes received the honor this year.

Bulldog senior defender Jeremiah Majorins (Lincoln, Neb.) and junior goalie Chris Podlich (Brisbane, Australia) were honored from the 2011 Concordia squad that posted an overall record of 11-5-3.

Student-athletes are nominated by their school’s head coach and must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status in order to qualify for the honor.