2023 Men's Soccer Schedule/Results
13-1-4 overall | 7-0-4 GPAC (3rd) | Season Stats | Roster | 2023 Men's Soccer Booklet
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Record |
| Aug. 26 | Graceland University (Iowa) | Seward, Neb. | W, 2-1 | 1-0 |
| Aug. 30 | York University | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-1 | 2-0 |
| Sep. 2 | Tabor College (Kan.) | Seward, Neb. | W, 1-0 | 3-0 |
| Sep. 5 | Bellevue University | Papillion, Neb. | W, 2-1 | 4-0 |
| Sep. 9 | McPherson College (Kan.) | Seward, Neb. | W, 7-0 | 5-0 |
| Sep. 13 | Benedictine College (Kan.) | Atchison, Kan. | W, 1-0 | 6-0 |
| Sep. 16 | *Mount Marty University | Seward, Neb. | W, 3-0 | 7-0, 1-0 |
| Sep. 20 | *Dordt University | Seward, Neb. | W, 2-0 | 8-0, 2-0 |
| Sep. 23 | *Northwestern College | Orange City, Iowa | T, 2-2 | 8-0-1, 2-0-1 |
| Sep. 27 | *Midland University | Seward, Neb. | W, 4-1 | 9-0-1, 3-0-1 |
| Sep. 30 | *Dakota Wesleyan University | Mitchell, S.D. | W, 1-0 | 10-0-1, 4-0-1 |
| Oct. 4 | *Morningside University | Seward, Neb. | T, 0-0 | 10-0-2, 4-0-2 |
| Oct. 7 | *University of Jamestown | Jamestown, N.D. | W, 2-1 | 11-0-2, 5-0-2 |
| Oct. 14 | *Hastings College | Hastings, Neb. | T, 1-1 | 11-0-3, 5-0-3 |
| Oct. 18 | *Briar Cliff University | Sioux City, Iowa | T, 1-1 | 11-0-4, 5-0-4 |
| Oct. 21 | *Waldorf University (Iowa) | Seward, Neb. | W, 6-0 | 12-0-4, 6-0-4 |
| Oct. 25 | *Doane University | Crete, Neb. | W, 5-1 | 13-0-4, 7-0-4 |
| GPAC Tournament | ||||
| Nov. 1 | Dordt (Quarterfinals) | Seward, Neb. | L, 0-3 | 13-1-4 |
2023 Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Year | Hometown | Previous School |
| 0 | Ezekiel Koenig | GK | 6-4 | Fr. | Grand Island, Neb. | Grand Island Northwest |
| 00 | Caleb Babisak | GK | 6-0 | So. | Fate, Texas | Faith Lutheran HS |
| 1 | Gabriel Mendoza | GK | 6-1 | Jr. | Fuengirola, Spain | IES Antigua Sexi |
| 2 | Iker Casanova | D | 5-10 | Jr. | Mexico City, Mexico | IES Alfonso VIII |
| 3 | Michael Owens | D | 5-10 | Fr. | Lima, Peru | Liceo Naval Almiramte Guise |
| 4 | Adrian Wambua | D | 6-3 | So. | Nairobi, Kenya | Brookhouse International School |
| 5 | Matt Schultz | MF | 6-1 | Sr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest |
| 6 | Jarrod Henson | D | 5-7 | Jr. | Sidney, Australia | Oakhill College |
| 7 | Okan Erkocu | MF | 5-8 | So. | Kiel, Germany | Regionales Bildungszentrum Wirtschaft Kiel |
| 8 | Zahid Falcon | MF | 5-10 | Fr. | Omaha, Neb. | Omaha South |
| 9 | Kai Olbrich | F | 6-0 | Fr. | Bennington, Neb. | Bennington HS |
| 10 | Martin Herrera | F | 5-9 | Jr. | Quito, Ecuador | ISM Academy |
| 11 | Ryan Wokutch | F | 5-10 | Jr. | Paola, Kan. | Paola HS |
| 12 | Michael Wyvill | D | 6-0 | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Pius X |
| 13 | Youssef Heggy | F | 5-10 | Fr. | Dusseldorg, Germany | Cecilien Gymnasium |
| 14 | Isaiah Shaddick | F | 5-9 | Sr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest |
| 15 | Carter Hinman | F | 6-2 | Jr. | Gretna, Neb. | Gretna HS |
| 16 | Ferdi Hagen | MF | 6-2 | Fr. | Berlin, Germany | Evangelische Schule Köpenick |
| 17 | Ryan Brown | D | 5-9 | Jr. | Omaha, Neb. | Mount Michael Benedictine |
| 18 | Spencer Kaufman | MF | 5-8 | Jr. | Omaha, Neb. | Westside HS |
| 19 | Braden Spath | MF | 6-1 | Jr. | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney HS |
| 20 | Ethan Korth | D | 6-1 | Fr. | Bennington, Neb. | Bennington HS |
| 21 | Lane Kruse | F | 6-0 | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest |
| 22 | Victor Meneses | F | 5-10 | Sr. | Petropolis, Brazil | Crowder College |
| 23 | Mattis Hollnagel | D | 6-1 | Fr. | Bad Segeberg, Germany | Städtisches Gymnasium Bad Segeberg |
| 24 | Michael Lindberg | D | 5-9 | Jr. | Mesa, Ariz. | Red Mountain HS |
| 25 | Lance Kiango | D | 5-10 | So. | McKinney, Texas | Faith Lutheran HS |
| 27 | Slade Leicht | MF | 5-9 | So. | Sachse, Texas | Faith Lutheran HS |
| 28 | D'Andre Williams | F | 5-7 | Jr. | London, Canada | Tyler Junior College |
| 30 | Manuel Rodriguez | MF | 5-11 | Jr. | Jerez de la Frontera, Spain | La Salle Buen Pastor |
| 31 | Nolan Fuelberth | GK | 6-0 | So. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest / Northern Illinois |
| 32 | Jason Payne | GK | 5-10 | Fr. | Betterdorf, Iowa | Pleasant Valley HS |
| 33 | Berkete Workinhe | F | 5-10 | Fr. | Dallas, Texas | Faith Lutheran HS |
| 35 | Josh Bergt | F | 6-2 | Jr. | Fairmont, Minn. | Martin Luther HS |
STAFF
Jason Weides, Head Coach (16th season)
Tanner Knorr, Assistant Coach
Michael McIntyre, Goalkeeper Coach
Nick Holmes, Assistant Coach
Bulldogs ‘respond’ in season opening win after giving up early goal
Aug. 26, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – With Graceland University (Iowa) down a man in the second half, the Bulldogs capitalized on a penalty kick by the foot of Victor Meneses (59’) kicking in a game winner on Saturday (Aug. 26). Concordia held onto the win in their season opening match (2-1) to start their 2023 campaign. Carter Hinman added his first goal of the season making it the third of his career.
Head coach Jason Weides starts his third consecutive year with a win in the season opener. Giving their all, the Yellow Jackets looked to improve their record which was just under .500 (6-8-4) from last season.
“We got a W, so I think that is happy news.” said a smiling coach Weides. “You’re never playing a perfect game, and this is definitely one of those cases. Our guys found a way to dig deep and fight through it so this was a hard earned result.”
Meneses picked back up where he left off with his game winning ways as two of his three goals from the 2022 season were game winners. Number 22 (Meneses) also kicked in one of the penalty kicks to seal the GPAC tournament championship against Hastings last Fall. He continued to shine in tough moments adding another one to his total in the first game of this 2023 season.
“It felt great to come out and score on the first game of the regular season”, said Meneses about today’s penalty kick. These guys (pointing to his teammates) deserved it. Everybody worked hard and it was a well deserved win.”
Tyler Dailey (Graceland) led off with a header getting just past the Bulldog keeper with less than three minutes taken off the clock.
Unhappy with the early goal, the team rallied in the 6th minute. Martin Herrera stole the ball and three Bulldogs ran hard for the counter attack. A couple of passes later the ball was at the feet of Ryan Wokutch inside the penalty area. He connects a touch pass to Carter Hinman scoring the tying goal just across the goal line.
Weides responded was asked about his teams' immediate answer with a goal for the Bulldogs. “It was important to respond and not get rattled by it (early goal). It’s kind of a nightmare scenario to give up a goal a few minutes into a match and we were ready to go but we just didn’t defend one set play very well.”
A big game momentum shift happened for the Bulldogs with less than two minutes left before the first half buzzer. Manny Zambrano of Graceland was carded a second yellow card and ejected on a foul after the ball was knocked loose by Lane Kruse.
Similar numbers surrounded both teams as Concordia barely edged Graceland in shots, 10-9, shots on goal,3-2, and fouls, 10-14.
Concordia returns to the greensward on Aug. 30 hosting York University in Bulldog Stadium. Kick off is set to start in Seward at 5:30 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs blanked the Panthers (2-0) in their fourth match of the 2022 season.
Bulldogs silence York ‘neighbors’ after early 3’ goal
Aug. 30, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia let an early nightmare goal slip through against York University for the second game in a row, but once again the Bulldogs stayed unphased rattling off three unanswered. The Bulldogs move into another gear leaving no doubt in a 3-1 win against the Panthers. The Wednesday night (Aug. 30) match featured Carter Hinman and Martin Herrera connecting for the first time this season and a game winner by Victor Meneses for a second consecutive game.
Jason Weides’ Bulldogs move to 2-0 with wins over Graceland and extend a now four game win streak over York. He talks about his nonconference ‘neighbors’ after the game.
“It was a good game. The games with York are always intense. They are our neighbor and we have to face them a lot over the years”, said coach Weides. “There were good moments and bad moments. It was the second time in a row that we gave up an early goal and fortunately we have been able to overcome those early stumbles”.
It felt like Deja Vu as Concordia allowed a goal in the third minute for the second straight game for the home squad. Deja Vu can be a bad thing but it also can be a good thing as the feeling continued with Hinman putting a ball pass the keeper in the 6’ just like the game against Graceland (Aug. 26). A bad pass caused a York defender to chase the ball out of bounds. Hurried, Ryan Wokutch put the throw-in at the feet of Herrera crossing it into the box for the blast by Hinman for his second consecutive goal in the early going of this 2023 season.
Hinman talked after the game about responding to the early game goals. “It’s good to bounce back as a team quickly especially after getting scored on early in both games. As a team, collectively, we did a good job of that. It happened to me that responded in both games which makes me really happy”.
Following the goals, the Bulldogs started to control the ball on both sides having the advantage over the Panthers 10-3 in shots the last 84 minutes. On the near side of the field, transfer Dre Williams takes the ball 15 yards to the middle of the grass and sends a feed to Meneses for the eventual game winner. Meneses has two goals in two games adding the seventh goal of his career.
The Bulldogs came out pressing in the attacking third at the start of the second half having a four corner kick differential for the match. Shaddick being fouled right outside the box decided to put the cherry on top for CUNE. Shaddick took the free kick and buried a low ball in the left corner to put the game to rest and notched his 18th career goal.
Concordia (1-0) hosts familiar KCAC opponent Tabor College (0-1) out of Kan. this Saturday (Sept. 2) for the third consecutive home match before hitting the road a week from today. The Bulldogs will be in Seward against the Bluejays set for a 5:30 kick time. CUNE has a 2-0 lead on Tabor as they have played both of their games in the past two years.
Bulldogs' teamwork earns first shutout against Bluejays
Sept. 2, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – After having conceded two early goals in their first two matches, the Bulldogs locked down the Bluejays' attacking third claiming their first shutout Saturday night (Sept. 2). Carter Hinman scored early stringing his third consecutive match with a goal, leading Concordia to a 1-0 victory over Tabor College (Kan.). The Bulldogs stayed on the attack with a large shot advantage (15-6) throughout the 90 minutes.
The Bulldogs continue to grow moving to 3-0 while adding depth with 20 players getting time to showcase their skills in the match against the Bluejays. Head coach Weides wanted a couple more finishes at the end but was pleased to get his first shutout.
“It was our first shutout of the season. Our first couple of games we let in a couple of early goals, so getting a shutout was huge,” said Weides. “I think considering the amount of possession we had and chances you would like to make a second or third but Tabor made it tough on us. We have to create more threatening situations…that’s the next level for us is to create those because you’re not going to make every chance you get”.
Hinman who had only two goals coming into this 2023 season, now has three goals in three games in 2023. Battling through injury the past couple of years, Himan looks healthy through three games and has been a monumental part of the Bulldog offense so far. His third goal came off a bad set piece which hit a defender and bounced to an attacking Braden Spath. He sends the powerful ball to Hinman who hits it in for the only score in the 3’ of the match.
With the 11-2 first half shot count in favor of Concordia, the Bulldogs stayed in their final third most of the first 45 minutes. They had the upper hand on an 8-2 corner kick advantage but slowed down in the second half as the shots were tied at four apiece.
Captain Iker Casanova stood tall with his line of defensemen as the Bluejays wouldn't go away constantly searching for the equalizer in the final 25 minutes of the match. Crossing a couple of dangerous balls into the box, Casanova and his team of Bulldogs headed them out to complete the scoreless win.
Casanova talked about what led to the shutout win. “Just teamwork. We’ve started out slow the past couple of games, but this time look at this energy, (pointing to his teammates), we are family. We fight for each other have good team chemistry to be able to pull off a shutout”.
Concordia (2-0) will travel to Papillion Landing to take on Bellevue University (1-2-2) for a midweek matchup on Wednesday (Sept. 5). The Bulldogs are set for first kick at 7:30 p.m. CT in their first road contest of this young season. The Bruins won in a tight 1-0 battle on the road at Bulldog Stadium against CUNE.
Bulldogs outlast Bruins; claim second best start under Weides
Sept. 6, 2023
PAPILLION, Neb. – The Concordia men’s soccer team stepped on the field to face Bellevue University at a windy Papillion Landing as people lined the sideline with blankets and coats because of a fast temperature drop throughout the game. Carter Hinman heated up early and has started to assert himself as the go-to force in the attacking third, leading the Bulldogs to a 2-1 road victory on Tuesday night (Sept. 5). Concordia played through the whole 90 minutes to have a more dominant performance than what the stats would show on paper.
The Bulldogs stay undefeated (4-0) earning their second best start in head coach Jason Weides’ 16 year tenure (2019, 7-0). Coach Weides has a mind to continue to grow as a team and was proud of how the team started fast in the last two matches versus Tabor College (Kan.) and Bellevue.
“Anytime you get a win over a good team, you’re happy. We had a good performance overall because Bellevue is a tough team and they ask much of every opponent,” said head coach Weides. “We started fast. In the last couple of games, we scored in the first few minutes but conceding a goal right after ours is unfortunate but from then on, our guys battled pretty well.”
Carter Hinman, pressing through injury the past couple of years, is finally getting to see his hard work pay dividends early this junior season. Pressuring the Bruins center back, the defender made a pass back toward his own goalkeeper as Hinman intercepted the pass and put it between the posts for the eventual game winner in the fifty third minute of the match. Carter (Chin) now has five goals in four games and two game winners.
Coach Weides talked about Hinman’s success so far this season. “Carter has been growing his whole career at Concordia, but he has been waiting for his opportunity. He has batted through injury the past couple of years. We are excited to see him score every game so far and he is one of the guys who are feeling it right now.”
After the opening whistle, the Bulldogs didn’t waste time, getting a goal in the fourth minute from Hinman through a feed from Ferdi Hagen, the first of his career. Hagen, the freshman from Berlin, Germany, has started the past two games and is starting to contribute significant minutes for CUNE.
Two minutes later, the Bruins responded with a game tying goal by Jake Cover to knot the score on an assist from Carlos Ortega Arguel.
Concordia picked up energy throughout the game as Bellevue seemed to fade from the Bulldogs relentless effort on both sides of the ball. The defense trapped a Bruin in the last third of the match, making him kick the ball out of bounds in a frustrating manner to show the game was truly in the hands of the visitors.
They outshot the Bruins 11-7 total and 8-4 in the first half. Set pieces were available for Concordia but were unable to cash in more goals. Gabriel Mendoza garnered three saves and commanded the back line to allow only one lone goal from a talented Bellevue squad.
Concordia (4-0) hosts the Bulldogs of McPherson College (Kan.) who are 0-4 so far early in their 2023 season. The match is set for 5:30 p.m. CT at Bulldog Stadium in Seward, Nebraska. CUNE leads the series with a 2-1-1 over McPherson with the last two wins coming from the Bulldogs of Seward County.
Season high goal scoring outburst pushes Bulldogs to 5-0
Sep. 9, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – Based on the records coming into the evening, this contest appeared to be a mismatch. It played out that way on the field as the Concordia University Men’s Soccer team enjoyed its most lopsided win of the 2023 season. Five different Bulldogs got in on the goal scoring as the home team pummeled visiting McPherson College (Kan.), 7-0, on Saturday (Sept. 9). Concordia ruled the shot count, 41-2, in an utterly dominant outing.
Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad has moved to 5-0 while getting cozy on the Bulldog Stadium turf. The 4-0 home mark this season has extended the program’s home unbeaten streak to 15 (14-0-1 over that stretch).
“We were pleased with their approach,” Weides said. “Sometimes when you see a team’s record, it’s easy to make assumptions. What we saw on film is that McPherson is better than what its record shows. We knew we were going to have a challenge. No matter who the opponent is, the focus is on being better than we were last time out. We’re competing against ourselves as much as we are competing against an opponent. Our guys did a great job today of having a great mentality from start to finish.”
Some fancy footwork by Isaiah Shaddick allowed him to beat a defender and open the goal scoring in the 10th minute. A flurry ensued as Concordia found the back of the net four more times before halftime. Ferdi Hagen scored in the 15th minute and then Okan Erkocu struck once apiece in the 16th and 32nd minutes. The hard charging Ryan Wokutch also pressured a McPherson defender into drilling an own goal into the net. Shaddick assisted on the second and third goals.
The score remained 5-0 until Wokutch got on the board in the 86th minute. Less than two minutes later, Kai Olbrich found the back of the net (assisted by Jarrod Henson). Erkocu, Hagen and Olbrich each notched the first goals of their Bulldog careers. Hagen also recorded an assist. With the ball living on Concordia’s attacking third, the Bulldogs smelled blood in the water.
Said Weides, “Ultimately I think we left a few goals on the table but we got 41 shots throughout the game. We challenged our guys at halftime to have equal or more shots as we did the first half, and we did a great job of that. We had the ball most of the time and counter-pressed really well and created a lot of chances. These games are great to see some guys who haven’t had as many minutes get a chance to succeed.”
A native of Kiel, Germany, Erkocu is one of the newcomers that has helped raise the Bulldogs’ level. Currently rated as the No. 1 team in the GPAC, Concordia has high hopes thanks to the presence of standouts such as Erkocu in the midfield. As he said afterwards, “Of course I’m feeling great (about the goals), but first of all, the team is more important. If I can help with goals, of course I’ll take it. My goal is to help the team.”
A couple of starters sat out due to injuries Concordia hopes will be only temporary setbacks. The Bulldogs plan to get Iker Casanova and Carter Hinman (team high five goals this season) back in the starting eleven in the near future.
Now in his fifth year at Concordia, Shaddick has run his career totals to 19 goals and 15 assists. He’s working on becoming the 11th player in program history to hit the 20-goal mark. On the other end of the field, Gabriel Mendoza earned the shutout on a light 90 minutes in goal. He made one save. In addition to the large shot discrepancy, the Bulldogs owned a 16-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The second road contest of the 2023 season will take place on Wednesday when the Bulldogs will be headed to Atchison, Kan., for a 7:30 p.m. CT clash with Benedictine College (Kan.). Concordia got credit for a forfeit win after the squads met in Seward in 2021 (most recent matchup). The Bulldogs last traveled to Benedictine in March of 2021 when the Ravens picked up a 2-0 win.
Bulldogs grind out win versus Ravens; Remain unbeaten
Sep. 13, 2023
ATCHISON, Kan. – On Wednesday night (Sept. 13), Concordia tracked down their sixth consecutive win of the season against Benedictine College (Kan.), holding onto the program’s second best start since the beginning of the GPAC era. Victor Meneses rumbled his feet. Took a couple of steps and buried the penalty kick past the keeper. With this kick, the Bulldogs seized the 1-0 lead, and unknowingly it became the eventual game winner for the road victory.
Concordia climbed one more rung on the ladder, moving to 6-0 and remaining undefeated. This 2023 team is one win away from tying the best start (2019) in the GPAC era for the Bulldog men’s soccer program. Head coach Jason Weides comments on what this accomplishment could mean and the bigger goals they have moving forward.
“Really hard-fought win. The victory obviously puts us in the position we want to be in, but we want to take it one game at a time. We don’t want to get caught up in chasing records. These kinds of things are awesome to accomplish, but what is more important is that we are better in October and November. The biggest blessing for our fast start this year has been our depth and competition in practice every day.”
In a physical game that warranted 31 total team fouls, two kicks became the difference in the battle of the unbeaten. A Ravens’ defender kicked the ball back to his keeper, as a pressing Carter Hinman met the ball just before the goalie, drawing the foul inside the penalty area. Less than a minute later, Meneses put the ball between the goalkeeper and the left post in the 39th minute of the first half for his third goal of the season.
Nolan Fuelberth, out of Lincoln, Neb., was credited with the shutout (2nd of the season), only had one save on the night. Fuelberth forced Benedictine to keep restarting their offensive attacks by controlling their redundant crosses, seemingly grabbing them out of the air. Nolan, has now guarded goal for 313 minutes in his career as a Bulldog and has only conceded one goal.
With quality shots at a premium, the defense stood tall inside the box limiting the Ravens to nine chances but only one was on goal.
Head coach Weides spoke on the defense inside the box. “We defended crosses pretty well. They were effective at getting in good wide situations and crossing it into the box. Whether it was Nolan at goalkeeper, our back line or the guys in front of them, we did a good job of getting to the first ball.”
Concordia (5-0) comes home for their GPAC opener versus Mount Marty (1-2-3) in Seward, Neb. First whistle is set for 1 p.m. CT versus the Lancers on Saturday (Sept. 16). The Bulldogs have a 13-2-1 record since 2006 over the visitors. Mount Marty hasn’t won since 2010 in the series.
Bulldogs blank Lancers; Tie program’s best start in GPAC era
Sep. 16, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – The Bulldogs didn’t allow a shot by Mount Marty, on their way to matching the best start (7-0) since the GPAC era. The matchup on Saturday (Sept. 16) had Concordia control possession for a majority of the 90 minutes, as the Bulldogs stayed undefeated holding a +9 shot advantage. Dre Williams put the cherry on top of the 3-0 win, striking his first score as a Dawg on a penalty kick.
With this win, Concordia goes further to 7-0, having a chance to claim full ownership of the best start on Wednesday (Sept. 20). Concordia ties Head coach Jason Weides' 2019 team, who lost in their eighth match to Kansas Wesleyan University in overtime (2-1). Coach Weides spoke on today’s win and how well the defense played through full-time.
“There were moments we needed to clean up, but we held a team to zero shots and really made it tough on Mount Marty,” commented coach Weides. “When we lost possession, our pressing and counter-pressing improved throughout the game. There were a few guys that played really well on defense, especially those rotating on the back line.”
The Bulldog defense would have an impressive night allow zero shots through the whole match. With Gabriel Mendoza in goal, he had no chances to prove himself more in an easier shutout. The Bulldogs also edged the Lancers in corner kicks, 8-2.
In the 32nd minute, Izzy Shaddick, out of Lincoln, Neb., dribbled into the box as three defenders surrounded him. Shaddick taps the ball over to Carter Hinman for the strike and his sixth score in the 2023 campaign.
Coming out of the halftime break with a 1-0 lead, Kai Olbrich drilled a low cross, via Shaddick, past the keeper. Olbrich, out of Bennington High School, punched in his second of the season to give Concordia breathing room.
“It’s a great feeling to go 7-0. It’s a great start to the season and to tie the (undefeated) start record. I just hope to be a part of that and it means so much to get my second goal. This one was a bit more important than my first one in the last few minutes of play.”
Concordia (7-0, 1-0 GPAC) will be tested in their next matchup against Dordt (3-3-1) on Wednesday (Sept. 20). The game is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. CT at Bulldog Stadium. The series is deadlocked at 10-10-1 but the Bulldogs have had a 7-1 advantage in the past eight meetings.
No. 25 Bulldogs gain one point in rainy road match vs Northwestern
Sep. 23, 2023
ORANGE CITY, Iowa. – After a couple of rain delays, No. 25 Concordia stepped on a slopping wet field to face Northwestern for their first GPAC road match on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 23). The Bulldogs found themselves down (2-1) in the second half, after the Red Raiders received two penalty kicks within four minutes of each other. NWC took advantage but, CUNE responded with a second goal from Izzy Shaddick to even the score (2-2), leaving the teams deadlocked after 90 minutes. Shaddick is now the third Bulldog (Aaron Skipworth and Nathan Douglass) in program history with at least 20 goals and 15 assists. After this game, he has totaled 20 goals and 17 assists in his Concordia career.
Concordia stays unbeaten at 8-0-1 and 2-0-1 in GPAC play. Head coach Jason Weides commented on the matchup versus Northwestern.
“It was challenging for both teams from the very beginning. The rain created a sloppy and wet environment that changed how many chances the teams were able to create. We created a nice goal in the 13th minute and possessed much of the ball in the first half. The second 45 minutes were up and down and they capitalized on two back to back penalty kicks. I was really proud that our team bounced back with a goal around a minute and a half later. No one could seem to find the game winner in the last 25 minutes to go.”
Two frustrating fouls in the box by Concordia gave Northwestern’s Tim Kaltenberger two penalty kicks that equaled two goals in the second half.
Down 2-1 in the 61st minute, the Dawgs responded with an equalizer after giving up two penalty kicks in less than four minutes. Surrounded by three defenders, Carter Hinman ran as far as he could before pushing the ball forward to a streaking Shaddick. Izzy ran forward, meeting the ball on the far side and punching it in for the equalizing goal.
In the first half, Victor Meneses and Jarrod Henson linked up in the 13th minute, switching places from their last match. Victor Meneses struck a big time cross connecting with Jarrod Henson for a header into the top left corner for the score.
The Bulldogs edged the Red Raiders 10-9 in shots and controlled the ball in the attacking third with a 10-3 corner kick advantage. The two teams were chippy in a very physical and tough environment, leading to four yellow cards apiece.
Concordia (8-0-1, 2-0-1 GPAC) will come back to Seward, Nebraska on Wednesday to host Midland (3-5-1, 1-1-1 GPAC). First kick is set for 5:30 p.m. CT at Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs hold a series lead of 14-10-3 over the Warriors including a win in Fremont, Nebraska (3-2) in 2022.
No. 23 Bulldogs take control early in GPAC win over Warriors
Sep. 27, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – No. 23 Concordia grabbed an early 2-0 lead and didn’t look back on Wednesday (Sept. 27), in the 4-1 victory versus Midland. The Bulldogs protected home field, extending their home win streak to 18 (17-0-1) since the 2021 season. Izzy Shaddick connected the first two assists, resulting in the jump (over Carlos Ferrer) to No. 2 in the all-time assist leaderboard. He is now has 19 career assists, and is two away from tying former teammate Carlos Orquiz.
The Dawgs stay unbeaten forging a 9-0-1 overall record and 3-0-1 in the GPAC. Head coach Jason Weides commented about a team mentality over an individual mentality.
“Our guys came out and played well. We talked about a we over a me mentality and overall I think we demonstrated that today. We were able to get up early and we scored on a couple of set plays, which was nice. It was unfortunate that we conceded a goal late, but I loved our response to get a goal (about) 10 seconds later. We got guys that are confident that they can come out and score goals. It just depends on the situation, but it is great they don’t have just one guy they can key on.”
Carter Hinman, pressing into the defensive box, forced the goalkeeper to make a bad pass straight to Shaddick. Izzy, made a move and returned the favor to Hinman, striking his 8th goal of the year past the keeper.
In the 23rd minute, the Bulldogs took advantage of a corner kick, with a Shaddick to Braden Spath connection by header for the second goal. Spath contributed his first goal and big defensive blocks out of the penalty area throught the match.
Coming out of the break, Ferdi Hagen hit a header into the back of the net by Martin Herrera from another corner kick. Hagen, the freshman out of Berlin, Germany, scored his second goal in 2023. Ferdi Hagen talked about his second goal of the season, which came on his birthday.
Surrounded by his teammates screaming, Happy Birthday! He replied, “I didn’t do it for me (score), I did it for my team", as he smiled.
After conceding a goal late in the match, Ryan Wokutch roared back with a goal in the final minute of play, putting a stamp on another GPAC win.
The Bulldogs manhandled the Warriors in shots (19-6) and in corner kicks (9-2).
Concordia (9-0-1, 3-0-1 GPAC) will go north to Mitchell, South Dakota to step on the field against Dakota Wesleyan (4-3-1, 0-2-1 GPAC) on Saturday (Sept. 30). First whistle is set for 3 p.m. CT at Pepsi-Cola Soccer Complex. The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers in 2022, in a 6-1 route at Bulldog Stadium.
No. 23 Concordia wins over Dakota Wesleyan in road shutout
Sep. 30, 2023
MITCHELL, S.D. – After an even match in the first half, the No. 23 Concordia offense struck shot after shot, only to amass one goal versus Dakota Wesleyan in a tight (1-0) shutout victory. CUNE traveled to Pepsi-Cola Soccer Complex on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 30) and completed the gritty road win finishing with 20 total shots from 11 different Bulldogs. The back line paralyzed the Tiger offense in the second 45 minutes, allowing zero shots.
Head coach Jason Weides was asked about how they nullified the Dakota Wesleyan offense in the second half. “We pressed better (on defense). We made better choices on the attack and possessing the ball. We kept getting higher on the offensive end and the wind helped us out a little bit as well.”
Concordia still sits atop the GPAC with a 4-0-1 record and a 10-0-1 overall record in 11 games. Coach Weides commented on the matchup versus the Tigers.
“It was a tale of two halves and the wind was a major factor for both teams during the game. I don’t think we dealt with it (wind) well. In the second half, we had the wind at our backs and that helped eliminate some of their easier first half counterattacks. We came out flying in the second half, and I think we learned a big lesson to not try and rush to the second goal.”
The Bulldogs amassed 10 shots in the opening 19 minutes of the second half and 15 in the 45 minute total. In those first 10 shots, Carter Hinman broke through on an unassisted goal in the 62nd minute.
Concordia earned a corner kick, as a swinging ball hit the inside of the far post. The ball rolled under the Dakota Wesleyan keeper right to Himan. Carter was blocked on the first shot, then scored the game-winning goal on the second kick. Hinman now has nine goals, which is still good enough to be the GPAC leader in goals scored and points (19).
The Bulldogs kept pouring on shots and the defensive line including Matt Schultz, Iker Casanova, Braden Spath, Michael Lindberg, and Spencer Kaufman all helped post their sixth shutout of the season. In goal was Gabriel Mendoza, who garnered his third shutout on two saves and is now 5-0-1 as a goalkeeper.
The first half consisted of the Tigers leading the Bulldogs in shots (6-5) and corner kicks (4-1). The CUNE offense was stifled by the Tiger defense and five offsides calls. In a span of 21 minutes, six yellow cards were enforced by the referees, with Matt Schultz (20th minute) and Okan Erkocu (27th minute) catching the two cards for Concordia.
The Dawgs (10-0-1, 5-0-1) will return to Seward for their midweek match against Morningside (5-3-3, 4-1 GPAC) at Bulldog Stadium. The game is set to start at 5:30 p.m. CT. on Wednesday (Oct. 4). Concordia and the Mustangs stayed knotted (2-2) after the 90 minutes came to a close in their previous match from 2022.
Dawgs and Mustangs draw in scoreless bout
Oct. 4, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia hosted Morningside for a chance to tie for first place with a win at Bulldog Stadium. The two teams fought it out for 90 minutes on Wednesday night (Oct. 4), but neither team could punch a score through against the top two goalies in the conference. Forcing a 0-0 draw, Nolan Fuelberth made critical saves in different parts of the game, almost doubling (7) the single game season high for the 2023 year.
The Bulldogs stay unbeaten at 10-0-2 overall and 4-0-2 in the GPAC. Head coach Jason Weides commented on how the two different halves played out.
“They let us have the ball in the first half, but we couldn’t really create opportunities from it. Ultimately, we didn’t counter-press very well and we allowed for quick transitions for them. In the second half, we switched it on and played a little bit better. We threatened in the final spaces and created more chances. We had opportunities in the end but couldn’t put it in the back of the net.”
The most dangerous chances came in the final 20 minutes of play for the home team. The offense would build up slowly and garnered three corner kicks late in the half, looking for the deadly strike. Ryan Wokutch, Jarrod Henson, Carter Hinman, and Matt Schultz all had a crack at the goal, as the crowd gained more and more hope for the late game winner. After those final chances, Concordia just couldn’t find the final touch before the clock ran out.
In the 41st minute, goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth kicked the ball to a teammate and immediately had the ball stolen, giving the Mustangs a one versus one situation with Fuelberth. Jona Fischer took a hard shot with Nolan far out of the box but he punched the ball out, saving a late first half goal. This was one of a few moments he earned the clean sheet.
Fuelberth commented on getting the shutout and making some big saves in one versus one situations.
“I knew we were going to have to defend more tonight than most nights. I was ready and prepared, and I knew the back line had my back too. We ultimately did enough to get the shutout. (on a big save before half) It was just instinct that kicked in, to be honest. I saw someone give up a ball and I wanted the close down the angle as quickly as possible. I just read his hips and knew he was going to the side and was able to make the save.”
The first half was split in two as the first 17 minutes left both teams with zero shots. The offenses picked up as the Mustangs rattled off nine, most from long distance, in the rest of the 45 minutes. CUNE would total seven shots to Morningside’s 13.
Concordia played the full match without fifth year senior Izzy Shaddick on Wednesday.
Concordia (10-0-2, 4-0-2) has their longest road trip of the season, driving to face Jamestown (2-7-3, 1-3-2 GPAC) on Saturday (Oct. 7). First kick is set for 5 p.m. CT at the Jimmy Turf Field. The Dawgs have gone unbeaten (3-0-2) against the Jimmies since 2018.
Concordia completes comeback road victory at Jamestown
Oct. 7, 2023
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Coming out sluggish after a long road trip is not uncommon to anyone and the same was true for the No. 22 Bulldogs on Saturday night (Oct. 7). After making the eight hour drive to Jamestown, they found themselves down(1-0) in the first half but Dre Williams came out in the second, putting two scores on the board including the late game winner. Battling through injuries, the Dawgs grabbed a big road win in the absence of captains Iker Casanova and Izzy Shaddick, along with many others.
Concordia has shown its depth through the past few games, staying undefeated at 11-0-2 and 5-0-2 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). Head coach Jason Weides comments on the sluggish start and coming out after half and playing their style of soccer.
“We played a really poor first 15 minutes and a solid 75 minutes after that. Fortunately, we were only down 1-0, and credit to Jamestown because they came out flying. We settled in and started to play our style and at halftime, we talked about staying composed and not panicking. We had way more chances in the second half and guys came off the bench to create quality chances for us. I’m proud of our team in so many ways because I felt like it was a full team win. We had so much energy from the bench. Our players responded well and we did what great teams do on the road … we found a way to win.”
Down 1-0 after a bad start, the Bulldogs found their legs coming out of the halftime break. Most impressively the defense allowed zero shots in the second 45 minutes. The back line came out with the will to win the ball as Adrian Wambua, Braden Spath, Matt Schultz, Michael Lindberg anchored the box like a wall of stone to give the team a chance for a road victory. Michael Wyvill was an important piece as subs began to take place in the final minutes.
With the defense anchored down, Dre Williams was vital to the comeback win in Jamestown. In the 48th minute, Williams was close to seven yards outside of the penalty area, before striking the ball from the far side of the field, all the way to the near corner for the early post-break equalizer.
Concordia would pound in more shots with their 8-0 second half advantage but were unable to find a game winner until the 83rd minute. Feeling at home in the same spot on the field, Williams received the ball, turned inward, and smashed a low ball past the keeper for his first game winning goal of 2023.
The Bulldogs would hold on for the last seven minutes as the whole team collected a big three points to keep them second in the conference.
Concordia (11-0-2, 5-0-2) will have a midweek break before travelling to Hastings (4-6-2, 3-2-1 GPAC) next weekend. First kick is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on Saturday (Oct. 14) at Lloyd Wilson Field. The Dawgs tied the Broncos (1-1) in the regular season in 2022 but defeated them in penalty kicks for the GPAC Tournament Championship in November.
No. 20 Bulldogs draw with 10 men versus Broncos
Oct. 14, 2023
HASTINGS, Neb. – Playing down a man a majority of the game, Concordia and Hastings played a physical match on Saturday night (Oct. 14) at Lloyd Wilson Field. The Bulldogs earned an early goal through Slade Leicht but conceded a score three minutes later off a rebound on a saved penalty kick in the draw (1-1). Missing important pieces through injury, CUNE dominated the ball in the second half but was unable to find the game winner.
The Bulldogs gained one point moving their record to 11-0-3 overall and 5-0-3 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). Head coach Jason Weides spoke on the many adversities of the match and how proud he was of the team.
“It was challenging. I thought our team played really well. It was unfortunate not to get more than just a tie out of it. Our team overcame a lot of adversity in the game. Our guys responded well to the penalty kick equalizer, then Victor Meneses got his second foul, which drew his second yellow card. We played the rest of the 63 minutes down a man, but you wouldn’t have known it. That is why we are extremely proud of our team. Hastings didn’t have a clear cut chance the whole match besides the PK. It was a full team performance. The only thing that was lacking was the win.”
With the Broncos unable to clear the ball in the 6th minute, Carter Hinman crashed a header toward midfielder Slade Leicht. He needed only two touches, as he hit the ball down with his chest and struck the ball past the crashing goalkeeper for his first collegiate score, putting the Dawgs up one early. Slade scored on his fourth shot of the season and added to his one assist in 2023.
Given a penalty kick three minutes later, Hastings’ Ruben Bande took the chance for the Broncos. Goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth blocked the initial penalty kick, but Bande followed the ball and kicked in the second chance, tying the match (1-1).
The Bulldogs' goalkeeper only had one save, as the back line kept the Broncos from any legitimate chances in their attacking third. CUNE kept the corners coming in the second half, edging the home team 4-0 in the last 45 minutes. The teams equaled each other in yellow cards despite Hastings having significantly more fouls (18-10) in the match.
Concordia (11-0-3, 5-0-3 GPAC) will travel for a huge matchup to face the top team in the GPAC standings, Briar Cliff (10-2-1, 7-0-1 GPAC), on Wednesday (Oct. 18). The Bulldogs and Chargers take to Faber Field for an early start at 1 p.m. CT in their midweek match.
Hinman scores late to preserve draw against Chargers
Oct. 18, 2023
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – As the wind blew throughout the whole 90 minutes, the shots constantly sailed high for Concordia in their match against Briar Cliff on Wednesday (Oct. 18). With a match that has so much meaning toward the conference regular season title, the two teams played at a relentless pace from the starting whistle. After letting an early goal slip through, Carter Hinman scored in the final 10 minutes, finalizing the draw (1-1) with the Chargers.
The Bulldogs stay undefeated with only two regular season matches left at 11-0-4 overall and 5-0-4 in the GPAC. Head coach Jason Weides talked about controlling the ball and fouls breaking up the strong pace of the game.
“Ultimately, we felt like we played well enough to win against a good Briar Cliff team and I thought we controlled the play the entire match. At the end of the day, we didn’t give them many clear cut chances. Early on we gifted them a goal and the wind caused a misjudgment of the ball, giving them a tap in goal. The unfortunate thing is, it took us until the 81st minute to get the first goal. We created a few good chances, but credit to their keeper for making saves. The play just kept on getting broken up and broken up because of the fouls in the game. We just couldn’t seem to find the second goal.”
Down 1-0, the chances of making a comeback started to fade for Concordia, as the wind kept pushing shots far outside their intended targets. As the last 10 minutes of the match began, the Dawgs got a late corner kick chance to find the equalizer. Jarrod Henson kicked the corner ball to the middle of the box and Carter Hinman slammed a header to the far bottom corner to knot the game up late.
The Bulldogs controlled the ball for much of the second half which showed by their 9-0 second half corner kick advantage. They turned the heat up in the 70th minute after the Chargers claimed a red card by Jasper van der Molen. The two teams broke even on shots (10) but CUNE had more quality chances, kicking seven on goal compared to their three. The final chance came from Braden Spath to take the lead in the last minute of the match but was saved by goalkeeper Hjalmar Nilsson.
Briar Cliff came out wanting a physical match earning 11 fouls in the first 26 minutes and totaled 21 in the match. Bodies continued to crash into each other as full time collected a total of nine cards at Faber Field.
In the first half, Concordia kept gaining chances in the box but was unable to capitalize on their constant time in the attacking third. Nolan Fuelberth grabbed two saves for the match.
With the tie against Briar Cliff, the Bulldogs stay four points behind the Chargers with only two matches left. Concordia will need help from their opponents to steal the regular season GPAC title.
Concordia (11-0-4, 5-0-4 GPAC) comes back for their final home contest against Waldorf (2-10-1, 1-6 GPAC), hosting senior day on Saturday (Oct. 21). The two teams haven’t met since 2017, as the Bulldogs won (4-2) on the road against the Warriors in Forrest City, Iowa.
Dawgs stay unbeaten in senior day shutout over Waldorf
Oct. 21, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – Senior day was celebrated on Saturday (Oct. 21), as Concordia hosted Waldorf for their final regular season home match at Bulldog Stadium. After taking a little while to get settled, the Dawgs exploded on offense for a 6-0 shutout. Iker Casanova, Braden Spath, Michael Lindberg and Ryan Wokutch were the four seniors honored, with Spath being the only senior to find the back of the net against the Warriors. The home team dominated with a 21-3 shot advantage over the visitors.
Concordia men’s soccer team remains undefeated with only one game left in the regular season, pushing their record to 12-0-4 overall and 6-0-4 in the GPAC. Senior defenseman Michael Lindberg spoke on the shutout versus Waldorf.
“For the most part, we were trying to keep the communication high and just trying to high press, so they didn’t have many attacks. We tried to pinch them wide and keep them out of our box, then counterattack them and hoped to score more goals. It was nice to come out well on senior day and get our strikers some easy goals.”
The Bulldogs came out a little stale on offense in the first 30 minutes of play but didn’t give up an early goal, which has been an Achilles heel for them in the opening minutes. In the 33rd minute, Youssef Heggy broke through first, rocketing the ball off his foot and into the back of the net for his first collegiate goal.
Spath, a senior out of Kearney, Neb., found himself on the back end of a rebounded block by the Warriors’ keeper. The seemingly taller than six foot one defender, jumped over the Waldorf defense for a smashing header for his second goal of the season, putting the Dawgs up 2-0.
Coming out of the break, the fifth year senior Victor Meneses scored on another rebound, totaling his fifth score in 2023. Meneses doubled his career goals this season, bringing his total to 10 as a Bulldog.
Concordia drew a foul inside the box in the 73rd minute, looking to pile goals on late in the half. Michael Owens took the penalty chance, scoring with ease, he ran to his teammates on the sideline and tried to chest bump his team as he fell down in excitement. As a result, Owens collected his first collegiate goal and would not be denied late for a second score in the match. With a stunning pass by Dre Williams to make it easy, MO tapped in another goal.
Owens talked about his experience scoring two goals. “It’s an amazing feeling. I’m really happy to help the team accomplish the victory. We dominated the whole game. We are just like a family, you know. We fight for each other.”
Williams would score a goal himself on a sneaky cross by Ryan Brown, giving Brown the first point in his collegiate career.
Concordia (12-0-4, 6-0-4 GPAC) takes a short trip to Crete, Neb. for their final regular season match versus Doane (3-5-7, 1-3-5 GPAC) on Wednesday (Oct. 25). First kick is set for 5 p.m. CT at Al Papik Field. The Bulldogs defeated Doane (2-1) in Seward, Neb. in 2022.
No. 20 Dawgs make unbeaten history; Finish regular season with win over Doane
Oct. 26, 2023
CRETE, Neb. – Jarrod Henson broke the tension with a motivating yet repetitive pregame speech, giving the team a laugh, before Concordia went on their Tiger hunt in the foggy surroundings of Al Papik Field. With Doane needing a big three points to be in contention for the final spot of the GPAC Tournament, the Bulldogs wreaked havoc in the attacking third finishing with a 5-1 victory. With this win, the 2023 men’s soccer team finished unbeaten with a 13-0-4 overall record and 7-0-4 in the conference. They are the first team to complete such a massive feat in the program’s 53-year history (1970).
Head coach Jason Weides commented on being the first unbeaten team in the program.
“It is special. That doesn’t happen very often. Even really good teams don’t stay undefeated. We have been around since 1970. So, 53 years we have never had that opportunity as a program, so it is great to be the first. These guys deserve it and they played really well. We are always trying to go further. We are always trying to build brick by brick from the team before us. This isn’t just this team and this year, it has been building for a while. It is awesome to see an amazing feat.”
Seven headers were exchanged in the Bulldogs half of the pitch before Ferdi Hagen used his feet, pushing a ball between two defenders to Michael Owens. Owens faked a shot with his right, bamboozling a sliding Tiger, then scored with his left for the early 5th minute goal. The Tigers would answer with a goal less than five minutes later, leaving no room to celebrate early.
Owens would put in another past the keeper in the 30th minute, making his second multi goal game in a row. The freshman has proved he has become more comfortable with the ball at his feet as the season has progressed.
Ryan Wokutch joined the fun, scoring on a forward pass by Kai Olbrich giving the Dawgs breathing room on the road. Six minutes later Matt Schultz banged a header past the keeper off a corner kick from Okan Erkocu. Schultz was asked about the undefeated record postgame.
“It’s amazing. These guys (pointing) mean family to me. We didn’t lose, but it is all because these guys right here. Whether on the field or off the field, everyone was involved. It means the world to me and these guys. Yea, school history.”
Up 4-1 already, Erkocu selfishly wanted some new pictures of him kicking in a goal as well. He took his solo act from 25 yards outside the box, moving left then right, avoiding defenders. Okan finally found some room and nailed a score past the keeper for his third score of the year.
The defense played rock solid, with many runs being cut off by Adrian Wambua and Braden Spath. They only allowed five shots, as the Bulldogs kicked a whopping 20.
Concordia finished the regular season 13-0-4 overall and 7-0-4 in the conference. The Bulldogs sit in second place in the GPAC table, but Northwestern has one match left versus Doane on Saturday (Oct. 28). If Red Raiders win, they will push CUNE down to third in the conference before the GPAC Tournament. The Dawgs won the tournament last year as a No. 2 seed.
Dawgs slip and fall in GPAC Quarterfinals against Dordt
Nov. 1, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – The 2023 GPAC men’s soccer tournament kicked off on Wednesday night (Nov. 1), as the No. 3 seeded Concordia hosted No. 6 seeded Dordt. The Bulldogs were fully confident they could come back, down 1-0 at the end of the first half, but were unable to connect the shots past the keeper to give themselves a chance. The Defenders gathered five total shots in the match but three of them hit the back of the net, handing Concordia their first loss (3-0) of the season.
This moves the 2023 record to 13-1-4 overall. Head Coach Jason Weides commented on the loss to Dordt after the match.
“Soccer can be a really cruel game sometimes. Ultimately, I don’t think they had a lot of great chances, but they took those chances. We talked before the game about how important set plays were … and they scored on two set plays. Unfortunately, we were poor in those moments, and they capitalized and took advantage of it. The reality is, I’m proud of this team and nobody deserves to win more, but we were outplayed and outcoached today. Down 1-0, we felt like the game was still in our control. We had the same feeling after the second and third goals. We felt like we were going to write an amazing story here, but it just didn’t happen today.”
The Dawgs came out firing early, getting six corner kicks and two shots off in the first 22 minutes. As the offense slowed down a little, the visitors gained confidence after a header score in the 35th minute.
Up in shots (4-2) and corner kicks (6-2) after the break, Concordia felt they had a really good chance to find the equalizer, especially with the full support of the Concordia Bulldog football team.
The offenses seemed to stall out once more, as opposing defenses piled into the box. In the 63rd minute, Dordt’s Marco Laenen found his ninth goal of the season, breaking the game open for Dordt.
Fifteen minutes later, the Defenders scored a dagger, putting the visitors up 3-0 with only 22 minutes remaining. The Dawgs were unable to connect with each other, as Dordt’s defense stayed in the box to prevent a quarterfinal comeback.
With their GPAC tournament cut short, the Bulldogs will seek a national at-large bid after being ranked No. 18 in the NAIA national coaches’ poll. Having been ranked a majority of the season, they are one of three teams to finish their regular season unbeaten in the top 25. The selection show for the national tournament is on Monday (Nov. 13) at 1 p.m. CT.
No. 21 Bulldogs miss national tournament after undefeated regular season
Nov. 13, 2023
SEWARD, Neb. – The 2023 NAIA men’s soccer selection show aired at 1 p.m. CT on Monday (Nov. 13) and revealed the Concordia men’s soccer team fell short of being chosen for an at-large national tournament bid. Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad ended the season ranked No. 21 in national ratings after being ranked for eight straight weeks. The Bulldogs broke into the top-25 of the NAIA coaches' poll for the first time in program history on Sept. 20, claiming the final No. 25 slot in the third national poll of the year. Concordia reached their highest ranking (No.18) on Nov. 1 but dropped after falling to Dordt in the GPAC quarterfinals.
CUNE had a record-breaking year in more ways than just rankings, as their motto to ‘Go Further’ came true in different facets as the year progressed. They finished the regular season with an undefeated record (13-0-4, 7-0-4 GPAC) for the first time in program history. Garnering the third most wins in the program, they finished with the least losses (one) and the highest winning percentage (0.882) since the program’s birth in 1971.
The team extended the home win streak to 20 (18-0-2) against Waldorf that started in 2021, as the streak finally came to a close on Nov. 1. Only allowing 13 goals by the opponents all season, the 2023 side allowed the least scores in program history, which tied them for eighth in the NAIA. The Bulldogs earned eight shutouts (0.72 GAA) and had a +30 goal differential earning them 2nd in both program categories.
The All-GPAC team was announced Monday (Nov. 13), with the Bulldogs claiming three spots on the first team in freshman midfielder Ferdi Hagen, junior forward Carter Hinman, and fifth-year defender Matt Schultz. The four second team honorees from Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad were sophomore goalkeeper Nolan Fuelberth, junior midfielder Jarrod Henson, fifth-year Bulldog forward Isaiah Shaddick and senior defender Braden Spath. In addition, junior keeper Gabriel Mendoza garnered honorable mention status.
Concordia men’s soccer can be followed in the off-season online at www.cune.edu/athletics or on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @cunemsoc. You can find them on Facebook at CUNE Men's Soccer. Coach Weides will enter his 17th season in 2024.
Season-In-Review: 2023 Concordia Men’s Soccer
Nov. 22, 2023
The way the 2023 season ended remains fresh on the minds of those associated with the Concordia University Men’s Soccer program. With time, appreciation for what was accomplished this fall will grow considerably. The ’23 Bulldogs will forever be known as the first team in the program’s history to navigate through an undefeated regular season. Head Coach Jason Weides’ squad did not taste defeat until the untimely 3-0 home loss to Dordt in the GPAC quarterfinals.
Twelve days following that downer, Concordia dealt with the disappointment of learning it had not been selected for an at-large national tournament berth. Since then, Weides and his coaching staff and student-athletes have attempted to place the entire picture into proper perspective.
“It is tough to put it into perspective,” Weides said. “There are so many things to celebrate. I’m not sure the sting will ever wear off. It fades a bit with time, just like anything in life. I think we’ll always look back and think about the ‘what ifs.’ The tiniest difference could have gotten us over that hump and gave us an opportunity to go further and accomplish just a little bit more. This team was prepared and capable of doing that. We’ve had some good teams that were prepared to succeed at nationals, but I’m not sure we’ve had any team as prepared as this team this year. We’ll take that in stride and acknowledge that we didn’t make it. We didn’t book our ticket the way that we could have. We left it to chance, but there are so many things to celebrate individually and collectively.”
Not only were the 2023 Bulldogs the first in school history to go undefeated during the regular season, they were also the first to crack the top 25 of the official NAIA coaches’ poll. Concordia managed that feat on Sept. 25 when it landed at No. 25. The Bulldogs were a mainstay in the national poll and spent the season’s final eight weeks inside the top 25, peaking at No. 18. All season long, the Bulldogs were rated as the GPAC’s top team. On Oct. 25, Weides’ crew routed Doane, 5-1, and ended the regular season at 13-0-4.
Appropriately, eight Concordia players earned all-conference awards, including first teamers Ferdi Hagen, Carter Hinman and Matt Schultz. Second team accolades went to Nolan Fuelberth, Jarrod Henson, Isaiah Shaddick and Braden Spath. Both Schultz and Shaddick returned in 2023 as fifth-year members of the program. When fully healthy, the Bulldogs were undoubtedly one of the nation's 25 best teams. Despite the rash of injuries that hit late in the season, Concordia kept getting results.
“We’ve been around since around 1970 and never had an undefeated season,” Weides said. “There aren’t a lot of programs around the nation that can tout an undefeated regular season. It’s really challenging. Even good teams have a little bit of a slip up or you just run into a team that’s better than you. To be able to go through the regular season unscathed is definitely impressive. We talked to the team about how injuries didn’t keep us from achieving our goals. They made it more challenging. We had a lot of injuries in the back quarter of the season. The first three quarters we were probably as healthy as we’ve ever been. We were unfortunate to pick up some injuries to major contributors, team captains and a first team all-conference striker. We had guys step up and play important minutes. I was really impressed with the team for overcoming it in a lot of situations.”
One of the great stories of 2023 was the breakthrough for Hinman, a Gretna High School product. Hinman ramped up his offensive production from one goal in 2022 to a team high 10 goals as a junior this fall. Had he not been sidelined for three games, Hinman may have challenged for the GPAC goal scoring crown. As it was, Hinman finished with the fourth most goals among GPAC players as a consistent force in Concordia’s attacking third.
Said Weides, “I think Carter is the perfect example of how we want to develop our players. Carter came in as a touted freshman from Gretna. He was all-state and I think came in and did a good job right away as a freshman. Certainly his freshman year to now looks a lot different. We see ourselves as a developers who can make players better if they commit to the process. He succeeded at that. To get to double-digit goals shows how he’s improved so much. I’m really proud of him.”
While Hinman became a standout at striker, and the team posted a combined 43 goals in 18 games, the biggest strength of the 2023 squad was its ability to stifle opposing forwards. The Bulldogs finished the 2023 campaign ranked 10th nationally for goals against average (0.72). Opponents put only 52 shots on frame for the entirety of the fall.
In a rarity, Concordia had two goalkeepers earn all-conference accolades: Fuelberth and Gabriel Mendoza (honorable mention). Fuelberth and Mendoza split time in goal while often being kept clean by the likes of Hagen, Spath and team captain Iker Casanova. Collectively, they helped the Bulldogs rack up eight shutouts. Only twice all season did Concordia concede more than one goal.
“We were fortunate to return most of our back line and a couple strong keepers,” Weides said. “Our team pressing improved, our team counter pressing improved and our defensive cohesion improved. The returners did a great job of getting our newcomers to buy in right away and understand that every position plays an important role in defending. If we were going to go anywhere, it had to start there. It really did right away in our opening scrimmage. We defended really well. Our keepers came up huge when they had to make a save and our entire team did a great job limiting quality chances. It’s a staple of our program to be stout defensively.”
Looking ahead to 2024, the Bulldogs will say goodbye to Schultz and Shaddick, who have exhausted their collegiate eligibility as important cornerstones for a five-year stretch that included the 2022 GPAC tournament championship run. On senior day, Concordia celebrated seniors in Casanova, Michael Lindberg, Spath and Ryan Wokutch. Each will have the option to return next fall, should one or more decide to use their ‘COVID year’ of eligibility. Either way, the Bulldogs believe they are positioned to enjoy another special season in 2024.
Says Weides, “It’s hard not to look at one game as defining our season, but I think as we move on and further separate from this moment, we’ll see that this was a great season. I think it’s also going to make future Bulldogs better prepared to succeed in those moments. We’re always building brick by brick. We’re standing on the backs of those before us, and I think this is another opportunity for the teams to come to stand on the back of the 2023 team.”