SEWARD, Neb. – The number of home matches remaining in 2019 is dwindling down for the Concordia University volleyball team. The Bulldogs will have had a whole seven days without a contest by the time Saturday’s tilt with No. 22 Dordt gets underway at 3 p.m. CT from Walz Arena. Head coach Ben Boldt’s squad is 8-1 at home this season.
Fans who present military identification will be admitted free of charge as part of Military Appreciation Day on campus. Saturday’s match will be streamed live via the Concordia Sports Network.
This weekend’s big GPAC clash will mark the final one in a string of three-straight home matches. Concordia claimed four-set home victories over Doane on Oct. 9 and over No. 25 Morningside on Oct. 11. The 2-0 week helped the Bulldogs separate themselves a bit from the middle of the pack in the GPAC standings. With six matches remaining in the regular season, Concordia (18-3, 7-3 GPAC) sits in third place behind only Northwestern (21-0, 9-0 GPAC) and Jamestown (18-3, 6-1) in the league standings. Both Dordt (15-7, 6-4) and Midland (14-7, 6-4) are close behind.
The matchup with Dordt brings another opportunity for the Bulldogs to knock off a top 25 foe. The NAIA has not released a national poll since Oct. 2, when Concordia appeared among “others receiving votes.” Sporting the program’s best 21-match record during the GPAC era, the Bulldogs stand a strong chance of cracking the rankings that will be unveiled on Oct. 23 no matter Saturday’s result. However, a win should guarantee it. According to Massey Ratings, Concordia is the NAIA’s No. 8 team and has played the nation’s 25th toughest schedule.
Junior Tara Callahan (ranks 12th nationally with 10.55 assists/set) was recently named the GPAC Setter of the Week for the third time this season. In addition, junior defensive specialist Marissa Hoerman (3.7 digs/set) garnered the Bulldog Athletic Association Member female athlete of the week honor. Callahan and Hoerman have been core players for a program that may have already turned a corner from a mental standpoint. It’s easier to have confidence when you have a star in the middle like Emmie Noyd (second in the GPAC with a .346 hitting percentage) and a couple of budding freshmen in Camryn Opfer (2.58 kill/set) and Kalee Wiltfong (.303 hitting percentage).
Dordt graduated a bevy of stars from its 2018 GPAC championship team, including first team All-GPAC honorees in Ema Altena (GPAC Player of the Year), Jamie De Jager and Aubrey Drake. Despite the departures, the Defenders remain a strong team. Their leading hitter is junior outside Karsyn Winterfeld, who averages 3.0 kills per set. As a team, Dordt owns national rankings of seventh in kills per set (13.68), 16th in hitting percentage (.229) and 22nd in blocks per set (2.24). Dordt had won five matches in a row before a narrow five-set loss at No. 2 Northwestern on Wednesday.
Following Saturday’s action, Concordia will have five days without a match before playing at Briar Cliff on Oct. 25. The Bulldogs will then be at Mount Marty the next day.