SEWARD, Neb. – The sixth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team is down to five remaining matches in the 2022 regular season. The Bulldogs are readying for action this week against two repeat conference opponents: Doane and No. 13 College of Saint Mary. Concordia beat both foes in straight sets in mid-September action. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad is coming off a five-set home win over No. 7 Northwestern. The Bulldogs had the middle of last week off following a long road trip up to the Dakotas. They enter the week with an overall record of 17-3 (8-3 GPAC).
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 19 vs. Doane (8-21, 1-11 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | 104.9 Max Country | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
Saturday, Oct. 22 at No. 13 College of Saint Mary (17-5, 7-5 GPAC), 3 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Location: Lied Fitness Center (Omaha, Neb.)
By the numbers
· Despite the losses at No. 2 Jamestown (four sets) and at then 15th-ranked Dakota Wesleyan (three sets) on the weekend of Oct. 7-8, the Bulldogs did not budge in last week’s NAIA coaches’ poll. The No. 6 landing spot again ties a program record for its best ever national ranking. As for the GPAC standings, Concordia sits behind Jamestown (9-1) and Midland (9-2) and is tied with Dakota Wesleyan (8-3) for third place. Seven GPAC teams continue to be ranked in the top 25 with five holding down spots in the NAIA top 10: No. 2 Jamestown, No. 5 Midland, No. 6 Concordia, No. 7 Northwestern and No. 10 Dakota Wesleyan.
· Hopes of an undefeated home record for the 2022 season remain alive following the five-set squeaker over the seventh-ranked Red Raiders. The Bulldogs are 7-0 at Friedrich Arena this season and own a 10-match home win streak dating back to last season. Over seven home matches this fall, Concordia has won six times in straight sets and has hit .322 and has averaged 15.04 kills per set. Meanwhile, opponents have hit .127 with 10.22 kills per set when playing on the home court of the Bulldogs.
· The Bulldogs have found a way to defeat the Red Raiders in five sets in back-to-back meetings. Concordia also won in five in Orange City, Iowa, in 2021. In the latest meeting, there was never any breathing room for either side as both teams scored in the 20s in each of the first four sets. It was also an 8-8 deadlock in the fifth set before the Bulldogs pulled away with the help of some clutch play by Carly Rodaway (15 kills and a .433 hitting percentage on the day). The Lincoln Pius X High School alum surfaced with a block for points 10 and 13 and then hammered a kill for No. 14. For match point, Camryn Opfer and Gabi Nordaker combined to stuff the Red Raider attack. For the match, Concordia narrowly outhit Northwestern, .232 to .217.
· The Bulldogs continue to rank No. 2 nationally in overall season hitting percentage (.270). Marian University (Ind.) leads the nation with a clip of .281. Other GPAC schools in the top 25 nationally in hitting percentage are Jamestown (third – .269), Northwestern (10th – .240) and Dakota Wesleyan (25th – .224). Five Concordia hitters have produced more than 120 kills this season: Nordaker (218), Opfer (193), Rodaway (190), Ashley Keck (173) and Kalee Wiltfong (129). As the quarterback of the attack, Bree Burtwistle ranks fifth nationally in assists per set (11.06). Nordaker is listed eighth nationally in hitting percentage (.349).
· Concordia needs only one more win to clinch an above .500 GPAC league record for the fourth year in a row – a feat that means something in the NAIA’s toughest volleyball conference. Since the start of the 2019 season, Ben and Angie Boldt have guided the program to conference marks of 11-5 in 2019, 12-3 in 2020, 9-7 in 2021 and 8-3 so far in 2022. The 12 wins in ’20 equaled a program record for most league wins in a season. The goal of winning a GPAC championship remains in place after Concordia finished as last season’s conference tournament runner up.
The opponents
Doane got on the board with its first GPAC win of 2022 when it defeated Briar Cliff in four sets this past Saturday. The Tigers will be on the road four three of their final four matches in the regular season and then will be finished for the fall (eliminated from GPAC tournament qualification). Doane is hitting .171 and averaging 11.48 kills per set this season while its opponents are hitting .214 with 13.57 kills per set. Head Coach Jenna Jones is in her third season leading a program that qualified for the national tournament as recently as 2016. The team’s most prolific attacker has been Taylor Sluka with 319 kills (.233 hitting percentage).
College of Saint Mary appears poised to make a third straight national tournament appearance. In his sixth season leading the program, Rick Pruett has made the Flames a consistent winner. The Flames are 4-1 over their last five matches with the lone defeat during the stretch being a five-set decision versus No. 2 Jamestown. Makenna Freeman (224 kills) paces the team in kills while the back row is anchored by reigning GPAC Libero of the Year Rachel Cushing. CSM is hitting .210 with 13.76 kills per set and limiting opponents to .150 hitting with 11.11 kills per set.
Next week
The Bulldogs will host Mount Marty on Oct. 26 and then play at Hastings on Oct. 29. A rematch with No. 5 Midland is looming on Nov. 1.