SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The high of ripping through fifth-seeded Bellevue University in the third set eventually gave way to the Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball team processing the finality of its national tournament elimination. The program’s sixth-straight journey to the final site of the NAIA National Championship concluded in the quarterfinals with a loss at the hands of the Bruins, who won, 21-25, 26-24, 14-25, 25-18, 15-12, at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday (Dec. 7). All-American Gabi Nordaker totaled 14 kills and four blocks in her final collegiate match for the No. 4 seed Bulldogs.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad finished the 2024 campaign with a 27-4 overall record. Bellevue and top-ranked Northwestern were the only opponents to defeat Concordia all season.
“It was a great match back and forth,” Boldt said. “Looking at the stats, we were very close in hitting percentage and sorts of stuff. It’s little things. I thought we were taking some good swings – good belief swings down the stretch. All we want for our team is to be able to compete in the moment. I’m proud of our team. I know it’s tough to lose a match like that. I just love our team.”
Nordaker certainly performed like someone determined to keep playing ball into next week. She hit .538 on the day and did not commit a single attack error. Nordaker sizzled with five of her kills coming as part of her side’s dominant third set that put the Bulldogs in control at the time. If not for Concordia allowing a 23-21 lead in the second set to slip away, the match could have ended right there. But a resilient Bellevue squad that played two tiebreaker sets late on Friday night had enough in the tank to outlast the Bulldogs.
The Bruins led for the vast majority of the fifth set and built a lead their advantage to 13-7. Concordia showed grit in getting within 14-12 with the help of a combined block from Nordaker and Kya Scott. Bellevue followed with a kill from Savanna Berger, sending the Bruins to the NAIA National Semifinals for the first time in their program’s history. In a match characterized by strong attacking play, Bellevue outhit the Bulldogs, .293 to .273.
The Millard West High School product Nordaker played in her 18th career national tournament match. Over her five seasons at Concordia, she totaled 1,433 kills and 597 blocks in 145 matches. Said Boldt of Nordaker, “She’s almost been here longer than I have. The things she’s done for this program – she’s been on the floor for five years. She’s been more than just a volleyball player for us. It’s been awesome to have her. She’s going to continue on in volleyball in some way. She’s a Bulldog. We love her.”
This was also the end of the line for a senior class that includes back row standouts Becca Gebhardt and Cassidy Knust. A Norfolk, Neb., native, Gebhardt collected 16 digs on Saturday, pushing her career total to 1,701 (third most in program history). Meanwhile, Ashley Keck led Concordia with 18 kills and 24 digs in the quarterfinals and will enter her senior season in 2025 with 979 career kills. Three Bulldogs other than Keck and Nordaker tallied at least nine kills on the day: Scott (13), Ella Waters (11) and Addie Kirkegaard (nine). Knust chipped in with 11 digs and Savannah Shelburne (30 assists) and Lily Psencik (29 assists) turned in strong outings.
Bellevue (31-4) will now play No. 8 seed Corban University (Ore.) in the national semifinals on Monday. The Bruins placed four players in double figures in the kill department in the quarterfinal: Berger (16), Eve Fountain (13), Kealy Kiviniemi (12) and Sidney Sledge (12). The largest statistical edge Bellevue had was in digs, 94-79. The two teams were mostly even in other key categories, including kills (73-71 Bellevue) and blocks (6-4 Concordia).
Afterwards, there were the expected emotional hugs between additional seniors such as Kelsi Heard, Ashlyn Wischmeier and Macy McClain. The loss stings in the moment, but Boldt will be forever appreciative for how the senior class carried itself and lived out the program’s core values: love, trust, hard work and sacrifice.
In providing some final thoughts on the 2024 season, Boldt offered, “They put another stamp on what it means to be a Bulldog. This team has accomplished some amazing things this year. 15-1 is a conference record we’ve never had before, but I don’t think we’re going to measure ourselves by record or anything like that. We’re going to be measured by heart and our core values. It was tough to leave the team in the locker room because we don’t know how to end it. We don’t want it to end. They have that feeling of not wanting to take your jersey off because this is our team. That’s who this team is and it’s been the ultimate joy for Angie, Corina and I as coaches. We’re one big family and we love them.”