SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball looked every bit of a top five team this past week as it dominated both Hastings and Dakota Wesleyan on the road. Those results pushed the fourth-ranked Bulldogs to 18-2 overall (11-1 GPAC) with four matches remaining in the regular season. There’s no margin for error in regards to the GPAC title race as Concordia shifts its focus to this week’s action versus the likes of Mount Marty (home) and College of Saint Mary (away). The Wednesday home match will be a pink out in support of breast cancer awareness.
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 22 vs. Mount Marty (10-12, 3-8 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
--Pink out for breast cancer awareness.
Saturday, Oct. 25 at College of Saint Mary (12-10, 5-6 GPAC), 5 p.m.
--Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Lied Fitness Center (Omaha, Neb.)
By the numbers
· The most recent NAIA coaches’ poll was released on Oct. 15 and landed the Bulldogs at No. 4. The current top three are Eastern Oregon University, University of Providence (Mont.) and Northwestern. The Red Raiders leapfrogged Concordia due to their win inside Friedrich Arena on Oct. 10. New to NAIA volleyball this season are the ARC and RPI rankings. The first sets of those rankings were announced on Oct. 7. In those rankings, the Bulldogs sat atop the Midwest Region and checked in at No. 3 in the RPI (out of 206 NAIA programs). New ARC and RPI rankings are scheduled to be released on Tuesday. Concordia’s string of consecutive NAIA coaches’ poll top five rankings has reached 22.
· Only one set last week was particularly close as the Bulldogs dominated Hastings and Dakota Wesleyan on the road. Concordia won by scores of 25-14, 25-16, 25-18, at Hastings and 25-15, 25-22, 25-17, at Dakota Wesleyan. The statistics tell a decisive tale. Over the two road outings, the Bulldogs emerged with advantages of .272 to .040 in hitting percentage, 89-52 in kills, 5-3 in aces, 136-109 in digs and 19-7 in blocks. For the week, individual statistical leaders were Ashley Keck in kills (23) and digs (36), Savannah Shelburne in assists (48) and Ava Greene in blocks (eight). Shelburne and Clara Evert both notched two aces. Additionally, Ella Waters put together a strong week as she produced 16 kills on the strength of a .306 hitting percentage.
· Concordia finished 2024 at 15-1 in league play and now aspires to do the same thing in 2025. As a program, the Bulldogs have won 21 of their past 22 GPAC regular season matches. Once again, they find themselves trailing Northwestern (20-3, 11-0 GPAC) at the top of the standings. The Red Raiders own an impressive streak of 42 straight wins (including postseason) against GPAC opponents. This past week, Northwestern defeated Mount Marty in straight sets and then dipped outside of the conference and won at No. 15 Viterbo University (Wis.) in five sets. The remaining GPAC schedule for the Red Raiders includes Dordt (home), Dakota Wesleyan (away), Briar Cliff (home), Morningside (away) and Waldorf (home).
· The All-American Ashley Keck is putting together a season that should make her a strong candidate for GPAC Player of the Year. In recent action, Keck became the fifth player in program history to reach 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs for a career. The others to accomplish the feat are Becky Ernstmeyer (1,740 kills / 2,235 digs), Camryn Opfer (1,561 kills / 1,671 digs), Renae Beikmann (1,223 kills / 1,187 digs) and Darcy Lindner (1,204 kills / 1,187 digs). In 110 career matches, Keck has amassed 1,254 kills, 1,060 digs and 101 blocks. Keck ranks seventh on the program’s all-time kills list. She continues to lead all GPAC players this season in kills per set (3.99).
· The defensive efforts of Concordia have been particularly noteworthy this season. The Bulldogs have held their opponents to an .092 hitting percentage and to an average of 10.36 kills per set. This past week, both Hastings (.000) and Dakota Wesleyan (.079) hit below .100. Concordia has limited foes to hitting percentages below .100 in eight of its 12 GPAC matches this season. Freshman Emma Brueggemann immediately stepped into the libero role and ranks second among GPAC players in digs per set (5.20). Nationally, the Bulldogs rank sixth in digs per set (19.03) and seventh in blocks per set (2.53).
· Head Coach Ben Boldt’s eight-year record at Concordia now stands at 172-53 for a .764 winning percentage (the highest of any coach in program history). From an overall wins perspective, Boldt trails only Berniece Jones (181-200) in program history. Jones coached during the 1976 through 1988 seasons. Also noteworthy, the current class of fourth-year seniors have contributed to a combined record of 95-16 since the start of the 2022 season. The .856 win percentage over that time is the highest of any four-year period in program history.
· Among GPAC teams, Concordia ranks first in kills per set (13.32), second in digs per set (19.03), second in hitting percentage (.203) and third in blocks per set (2.53). The Bulldogs are the only team in the GPAC to rank in the top three of the conference in each of those four statistical categories.
The opponents
The Bulldogs opened the GPAC schedule with a trip to Mount Marty back on Sept. 6. Concordia won that match by a score of 25-22, 25-13, 26-24, behind 14 kills from Keck. Since then, the Lancers (10-12, 3-8 GPAC) have taken GPAC matches from Hastings (three sets), Waldorf (five sets) and Briar Cliff (three sets). Mount Marty returned two All-GPAC players from last season in sophomore middle hitter Caitlin Guenther and senior outside hitter Julia Weber (both honorable mention). Now in her second season, Head Coach Sophia Paes has helped raise the level of the program. Mount Marty is hoping to surpass its win total from 2024 when it went 12-15 (4-12 GPAC). Among GPAC teams, the Lancers rank fifth in blocks per set (1.92), sixth in hitting percentage (.166), seventh in kills per set (11.84), 11th in digs per set (14.86) and 12th in aces per set (1.16). The Bulldogs have won each of the past 24 meetings with Mount Marty.
College of Saint Mary and Concordia will meet for the second time this season. Back on Sept. 10, the Bulldogs blew out the Flames, 25-8, 25-13, 25-18, inside Friedrich Arena. CSM posted a negative hitting percentage (-.016) in the defeat. Head Coach Rick Pruett’s squad (12-10, 5-6 GPAC) enters this week with a seventh-place GPAC standing. The Flames’ roster is headlined by returning First Team All-GPAC middle blocker Azaria Green, who is averaging 2.36 kills and 0.96 blocks per set. Transfer Caylin Barnett leads the team from an attacking perspective with 209 kills from the outside. CSM landed at No. 82 in the first NAIA RPI. Pruett has taken the program to the national tournament four times (and as recently as 2023). Among GPAC teams, the Flames rank fourth in digs per set (18.10), sixth in kills per set (12.12), seventh in aces per set (1.54), ninth in hitting percentage (.152) and ninth in blocks per set (1.81). Concordia has won three straight matchups with CSM.
Next week
Concordia will have a break in the middle of next week before a road match at No. 17 Midland on Saturday, Nov. 1. The regular season will conclude on Tuesday, Nov. 4 when Doane makes a visit to Friedrich Arena.