SEWARD, Neb. – One of the more anticipated matches of the regular season will mark the end of the regular season. The fifth-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team will host No. 4 Midland on Tuesday night as the two rivals go head-to-head for the second time this season. If this match is anything like the first one, fans are in for a treat. The meeting in Fremont on Sept. 7 resulted in a five-set win for the Warriors, who took the fifth set, 16-14. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad (23-3, 12-3 GPAC) will pull itself into a tie for second place in the final GPAC standings if it can defeat Midland.
This Week
Tuesday, Nov. 1 vs. No. 4 Midland (23-3, 13-2 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | 104.9 Max Country | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
Saturday, Nov. 4 vs. TBD (GPAC Quarterfinals), 7:30 p.m.
--Live Webcast/Stats | 104.9 Max Country | Location: Friedrich Arena (Seward, Neb.)
By the numbers
· With the release of the NAIA coaches’ poll on Oct. 26, the Bulldogs garnered the highest ranking in the history of the program. Concordia landed at No. 5 after having slotted in at No. 6 four times previously over the past two years. In the six NAIA coaches’ polls released so far in 2022, The Bulldogs have attained respective rankings of 11th, 10th, eighth, sixth, sixth and fifth. Concordia is looking to make it four years in a row with top 25 national finishes. Under Boldt, the Bulldogs garnered final postseason national rankings of 14th in 2019, eighth in 2020 and sixth in 2021. Concordia is one of only four NAIA volleyball programs that have reached bracket play at the national tournament in each of the past three seasons. Five of the current nine teams in the national rankings are from the GPAC: No. 2 Jamestown, No. 4 Midland, No. 5 Concordia, No. 6 Northwestern and No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan.
· Two matches last week with hitting percentages north of .300 has put the Bulldogs back on top of the national leaderboard in hitting percentage at .280. The rest of the top five features Marian (.269), Jamestown (.265), Missouri Baptist (.256) and Park-Gilbert (.256). Concordia has hit for a high efficiency while led by Bree Burtwistle and her average of 11.24 assists per set. Burtwistle has helped four teammates rack up more than 200 kills this season: Gabi Nordaker (257), Camryn Opfer (236), Carly Rodaway (220) and Ashley Keck (212). Defensively, the Bulldogs have limited their opponents to .161 hitting behind 79 blocks from Nordaker and 383 digs from Rebecca Gebhardt.
· As part of last week’s action, the Bulldogs earned regular season sweeps of Mount Marty and Hastings. In the two victories, Concordia hit .323 with an average of 16.0 kills per set while limiting opponents to .077 hitting and 9.33 kills per set. Last week’s combined individual leaders by category were Opfer in kills (22), Morgan Nibbe in hitting percentage (.469), Nordaker in blocks (11), Burtwistle in assists (71) and aces (three) and Gebhardt in digs (37). Nibbe has taken advantage of increased playing time with Kalee Wiltfong missing four straight matches due to injury. Nibbe has totaled 29 kills and nine blocks over those four matches.
· The Seward High School product Opfer is moving up the ladder on the program’s all-time lists. She currently sports school career rankings of sixth in digs (1,219) and seventh in kills (1,184). Opfer is creeping up on Darcy Lindner (1,204 kills) and Renae Beikmann (1,223) on the kills list. Opfer is enjoying another fine season with totals of 236 kills, 282 digs and 32 blocks to go along with a .226 hitting percentage from the outside. The next highest career kill totals on the current team are owned by Nordaker (822) and Wiltfong (730). In last week’s action, Nordaker surpassed 300 career blocks (now at 307).
· Based on the current top 25, Concordia owns wins over the following ranked teams: No. 6 Northwestern, No. 7 Viterbo (Wis.), No. 12 College of Saint Mary (two), No. 22 Dordt and No. 23 Texas Wesleyan. According to Massey Ratings, the Bulldogs have played the NAIA’s fourth most challenging schedule. While Concordia is out of the running for the GPAC regular season title, it will have another shot at a championship during the postseason. Considering the Bulldogs’ positioning in the national rankings, they are a lock to qualify for the national tournament for the fifth time in program history.
The opponents
Midland enters the final match of the regular season with a shot at sharing the GPAC regular season title. For that to happen, the Warriors must win inside Friedrich Arena and have second-ranked Jamestown fall at No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan. Head Coach Paul Giesselmann’s program has enjoyed another elite season and has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the NAIA coaches’ poll. The team’s most decorated players in terms of accolades are All-Americans in setter Hope Leimbach and outside hitter Taliyah Flores. Leimbach ranks second nationally in assists per set (11.71). On the season, Midland is hitting .204 while averaging 13.62 kills and 2.14 blocks per set. Its opponents are hitting .131 while averaging 10.33 kills and 2.66 blocks per set.
Concordia’s opponent in the GPAC quarterfinals on Saturday will be known by the conclusion of the regular season on Tuesday night.
GPAC tournament
Dates for the GPAC tournament are Nov. 5 for the quarterfinals, Nov. 9 for the semifinals and Nov. 12 for the championship match. The Bulldogs will be seeking to return to the title match for a second year in a row.