Bulldogs earn first GPAC win, 3-2, over Dakota Wesleyan

Concordia picked up its first conference win of the season on Saturday with a 3-2 GPAC volleyball victory over Dakota Wesleyan.  Scores of the match were 25-20, 15-25, 25-20, 22-25 and 15-8.  The Bulldogs improved to 7-11 overall and 1-3 in the GPAC.  Dakota Wesleyan slipped to 7-9 (0-3 GPAC) on the year.  

Several Bulldogs contributed both offensively and defensively in the five-set win.  Amanda Abbott (Temecula, Calif.) pounded a team-high 13 kills to pace Concordia offensively.  Marlee Denton (Fremont, Neb.) and Amanda Kisker (Lincoln, Neb.) also reached double digits in kills.  Denton finished with 11 to go alone with one solo block and five assisted blocks, while Kisker had another double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs. 
 
Kayla James (Gibbon, Neb.) also had a big double-double in the Bulldog victory.  James finished with a match-high 27 assists to go along with 14 digs.  Angela Bruhn (Creston, Neb.) and Allie Kenning (Hebron, Neb.) added 14 digs apiece, while Mariah Schamp (Arvada, Colo.) chipped in with six kills and four assisted blocks.  

The Bulldogs had multiple impressive sets offensively.  Concordia finished with a .579 attack percentage in the third set, and a .833 attack percentage in the fifth and deciding set lifted the Bulldogs to the win.  

Danielle Bird notched a match-high 21 kills and added 13 digs to lead the way for Dakota Wesleyan in the loss.  Larissa Veldhuizen added a double-double of 13 kills and 17 digs.  Brooke Warne also added 17 digs, while Briana Jung and TyAnn Buddenhagen combined for 45 set assists on the night.  

Concordia now returns home for their next four matches.  Hastings College comes to Seward on September 27.  The JV contest is scheduled for 6 p.m. with the varsity contest to follow at 7:30 at the Walz Human Performance Complex.