SEWARD, Neb. – After things fell through this past weekend, the Concordia University Volleyball team now looks forward to opening the 2020 season on Wednesday at Midland. This will mark the first time that the Bulldogs have begun a season against a conference opponent since 2007. First serve of the varsity match at Fremont is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT (junior varsity at 6 p.m.).
This Week
Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Midland (1-1), 7:30 p.m.
-Live Webcast | 104.9 Max Country | Fan Protocols
Based on the 2019 NAIA postseason national poll, this will be a matchup between 14th-ranked Concordia and a Midland team that was rated just outside of the top 25. The Bulldogs landed at No. 3 in the 2020 GPAC preseason coaches’ poll, meaning it was likely they would have appeared inside the top 15 in the preseason had the NAIA released a new national ranking. On the 2019 national leaderboard, Concordia ranked 14th in hitting percentage (.233), 17th in kills per set (13.5) and 32nd in blocks per set (2.14).
Now in his third season leading the Bulldogs, Head Coach Ben Boldt hopes his team can hit the ground running on Wednesday and pick up where it left off a year ago. The familiarity inside the program may help negate the lack of early nonconference matches. Four All-GPAC players have returned in Tara Callahan, Marissa Hoerman, Camryn Opfer and Kara Stark. Callahan has already established herself as one of the NAIA’s top setters while Opfer is a budding star as an outside hitter. Opfer (316), Stark (293), Kalee Wiltfong (275) and Arleigh Costello (213) each posted more than 200 kills in 2019.
Last season Concordia snapped an eight-match series losing streak against Midland when it defeated the then eighth-ranked Warriors in Fremont in four sets on Oct. 5. Earlier in the campaign, Midland clipped the Bulldogs in five sets inside Walz Arena. Callahan starred in the victory at Fremont by posting 28 assists, 10 blocks, six digs and four kills. Though this season’s first meeting comes early, it could have national tournament implications.
Midland (fourth in GPAC poll) has earned a reputation as a strong program led by Paul Giesselmann, who is in his 11th season with the Warriors. Midland narrowly missed out on a national tournament bid in 2019, snapping a string of six-straight nationals appearances. The Warriors bring back GPAC Libero of the Year Taliyah Flores and additional all-conference performers in outside hitter Brooke Fredrickson, middle blocker Maggie Hiatt and middle blocker Sydney Morehouse. They got their season started this past Saturday and split two five-set home matches, defeating No. 8 Missouri Baptist University (Mo.) while falling at the hands of No. 12 Grand View University (Iowa). Midland went 9-6 at home last season.
The next outing after Midland has been put in question. If the Bulldogs do not play in Parkville, Mo., on Friday, they would then look forward to playing at Doane next Wednesday (Sept. 16). For schedule updates throughout the season, follow@cunebulldogs on Twitter and check the website schedule frequently.