SEWARD, Neb. – Head Coach Ben Boldt will tell you there is room for improvement, but the 11th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team has done nothing so far to lessen the anticipation for what 2022 could become. While completing a perfect weekend run (in terms of sets won), the Bulldogs polished off visiting Texas Wesleyan University, 25-12, 25-19, 25-22, inside Friedrich Arena on Saturday (Aug. 27). Rebecca Gebhardt cleaned up with 25 digs, Kalee Wiltfong mashed 11 kills and Camryn Opfer surpassed a significant career milestone.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has moved to 5-0 with a profile that features a win over a top 25 opponent and two foes listed as receiving votes in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll.
“They came out pretty much on fire in that first set,” Boldt said of his side. “I thought we had great purpose and great focus. We hit like .400 in that first set and I thought our blocking was really good too.
“I think they (Texas Wesleyan) settled into the match. They made some adjustments and forced our hitters to do some different things, but that’s the name of the game. You have to play. I think that’s something we can work on – sustaining that mentality and aggressiveness from point zero to point 25.”
Concordia won both matches this weekend comfortably, but it was forced to dig a little deeper to put McPherson College (Kan.) and Texas Wesleyan away in the third sets of both matches. On Saturday, the Rams built a 16-13 lead in the third set in which they limited the Bulldogs to a .140 hitting percentage. In the clutch, Gabi Nordaker put away back-to-back kills for the 24th and 25th points. To this point, Concordia has risen to the occasion whenever it has been challenged.
Opfer certainly has the character to do the same as an individual. She tallied 14 digs in the latest victory and became the eighth player in program history to surpass 1,000 career digs. Opfer added five kills for an attack quarterbacked mostly by setter Bree Burtwistle. The Stanton, Neb., native posted 30 assists and dropped in a pair of aces. She facilitated the likes of Wiltfong (.529 hitting percentage), Nordaker (nine kills), Carly Rodaway (nine kills) and Ashley Keck (seven kills).
Defensively, Nordaker and Rodaway were in on four blocks apiece. When they couldn’t disrupt the Texas Wesleyan hitters, Gebhardt was on the spot in one of the most statistically productive matches of her young career. Lexie Kreizel also reached double figures in digs with 10. Their work prevented any Rams (4-2) from getting 10 or more kills. Grace Pavelka led her side with eight kills.
Burtwistle bided her time and prepared herself for this moment. She has had the bulk of the opportunities at setter while giving way at times to Bree Green (six assists on Saturday). Burtwistle and company have a good thing going.
“I think our culture is what makes the program so special,” Burtwistle said. “Previous players like Marissa (Hoerman) and Tara (Callahan) really built a culture of family and trust, and Ben and Angie have played a huge role in that. They’re the reason the culture is the way it is today. Everyone trusts in them and we just keep building off that.”
Ben and Angie will continue to tinker with things as they prep the team for the beginning of conference play. There’s a lot more left in the tank.
“We kind of toyed with a lineup a little bit there,” Boldt said. “I think we’ll continue to do that, depending on what our needs are going to be at the time. We might need a bigger block or we might need a bigger attack. We have a lot of good personnel. I want to figure out ways to get them on the floor while also keeping the continuity and our best team out there.”
Concordia will host Hastings (5-1) at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday. The Bulldogs took both of last season’s matchups with the Broncos.