SEWARD, Neb. – The 2022 season is just days away for the 11th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team. The Bulldogs will depart on Tuesday in preparation for the two-day (Aug. 18-19) Raider Invitational hosted by Southern Oregon University. Both the Concordia varsity and junior varsity teams will make the journey to the Pacific Northwest. The varsity will play three matches while the JV will play twice during the stay in Ashland, Ore.
Raider Invitational (Aug. 18-19)
-Live Webcasts: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/sou/ (pay-per-view)
-Live updates via Twitter: @CUNEathletics
-Live stats via PrestoStats: https://naiastats.prestosports.com/sports/wvball/scoreboard
-Location: Lithia Motors Pavilion | Ashland, Oregon
· Thursday, Aug. 18 vs. No. 19 Oregon Tech, 12:30 p.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. CT
· Thursday, Aug. 18 vs. Southern Oregon, 7 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. CT
· Friday, Aug. 19 vs. Park University (Ariz.), 10:30 a.m. PT / 12:30 p.m. CT
NOTE: The Concordia JV team will play Rogue Community College at 3 p.m. PT (5 p.m. CT) on Thursday and then Umpqua Community College at 9:30 a.m. PT (11:30 a.m. CT) on Friday. Both matches will be played in Ashland.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s program is coming off a 2021 season in which it went 19-12 overall, placed as the GPAC tournament runner up, reached the NAIA national quarterfinals and landed at No. 6 in the NAIA postseason coaches’ poll. The Bulldogs begin this season ranked No. 11 nationally while being pegged fourth in the GPAC preseason poll. Concordia welcomes back two First Team All-GPAC honorees in Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer. For the 2022 season preview, click HERE.
Thursday’s clash with No. 19 Oregon Tech will be a rematch of the 2021 matchup that took place in pool play at the NAIA National Championship tournament. The Bulldogs won in four sets, 26-24, 23-25, 25-17, 25-23, behind 15 kills and seven blocks from Nordaker. Opfer also added 14 kills as Concordia hit .281 as a team. Both Oregon Tech and Park University Gilbert were national qualifiers in 2021.
Raider Invitational Opponents
No. 19 Oregon Tech Owls
2021 Record: 24-8 (NAIA national qualifier)
Head Coach: Ken Murczek (3rd season)
Conference: Cascade Collegiate Conference
Location: Klamath Falls, Oregon
Southern Oregon University Raiders
2021 Record: 14-13
Head Coach: Josh Rohlfing (16th season)
Conference: Cascade Collegiate Conference
Location: Ashland, Oregon
Park University Gilbert Buccaneers
2021 Record: 18-7 (NAIA national qualifier)
Head Coach: Clay Webb (3rd season)
Conference: California Pacific Conference
Location: Gilbert, Arizona