Volleyball plans to ‘pack the pound’ for tonight’s match vs. No. 18 Hastings
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University volleyball program garnered some national notice by knocking off then No. 14 Oklahoma Baptist on Sept. 5. A conference victory over No. 18 Hastings tonight (Sept. 24) would be even more significant for third-year head coach Scott Mattera’s Bulldogs, who enter the day with records of 10-4 overall and 2-1 in GPAC action.
Concordia has not defeated the rival Broncos since Aug. 29, 2007, when the Bulldogs took down a Hastings team that was ranked ninth in the NAIA.
“This is a huge match,” Mattera said at Tuesday’s Bulldog Booster Club gathering. “It’s probably the biggest one since I’ve been here. For the life cycle and momentum of the program, this is a big one for us.”
Concordia expects a significant crowd inside Walz Arena for what has been dubbed “pack the pound.” Students in attendance will receive one free bag of popcorn and one free fountain drink. The Bulldog pep band will also be on hand.
MATCH INFO
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m. (JV at 6 p.m.)
No. 18 Hastings (10-5, 1-2 GPAC) at Concordia (10-4, 2-1 GPAC)
Site: Seward, Neb.
Arena: Walz Arena
Webcast: Concordia Sports Network
Play-by-play: Frank Greene
Promotion: ‘pack the pound’ (students get one free popcorn and one free drink)
TEAM LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Scott Mattera (37-39, 3rd year)
Kills: Claire White – 155 (3.16/game)
Assists: Alayna Kavanaugh – 481 (10.02/game)
Digs: Carli Smith – 171 (3.56/game)
Blocks: Taylor Workman – 33 (0.83/game)
Aces: Claire White – 23 (0.47/game)
Hastings
Head Coach: Matt Buttermore (61-24, 3rd year)
Kills: Katie Zoucha – 196 (3.44/game)
Assists: Katie Placke – 597 (9.95/game)
Digs: Jill Bax – 263 (4.38/game)
Blocks: Jessica Osterhaus – 55 (1.02/game)
Aces: Lindy Matthews – 22 (0.37/game)
Protect this house
It’s been nearly a year since Concordia’s last home loss – a four-set defeat at the hands of Nebraska Wesleyan on Oct. 1, 2013. Since then the Bulldogs have rattled off nine-straight wins inside Walz Arena. During that run, Concordia has lost only one set with eight of the nine wins coming in straight sets. Three of the nine victories have come against GPAC opponents.
Nine-straight home wins:
Oct. 8, 2013 – York College, 3-0
Oct. 18, 2013 – Dakota State University, 3-0
Oct. 19, 2013 – Mount Marty, 3-0
Oct. 29, 2013 – College of Saint Mary, 3-0
Nov. 2, 2013 – Dakota Wesleyan, 3-1
Aug. 26, 2014 – Faith Baptist Bible College, 3-0
Sept. 13, 2014 – Peru State College, 3-0
Sept. 13, 2014 – Friends University, 3-0
Sept. 20, 2014 – Mount Marty, 3-0
Kavanaugh earns GPAC weekly honor
Sophomore setter Alayna Kavanaugh added 78 more assists last week in pair of wins on the way to earn GPAC setter of the week accolades. In last week’s action, Kavanaugh totaled 36 assists in a 25-20, 13-25, 26-24, 25-22 win at Doane on Sept. 17. She then piled up 42 assists in the 25-22, 29-27, 25-23 home victory over Mount Marty on Sept. 20. The native of Lincoln, Neb., has 481 assists over 48 games on the season. Her average of 10.0 assists per game ranks third among all GPAC players and 23rd among all NAIA players.
White surpasses 500 career kills
With 16 kills in Saturday’s straight-sets win over Mount Marty, junior outside hitter Claire White eclipsed 500 for her career. The native of Exeter, Neb., ranks seventh in the GPAC this season with 3.16 kills per game (team high 155 total kills). White now has 494 kills in her career as a Bulldog. She spent her freshman season at NCAA Division II Washburn University, where she appeared in 30 matches and produced 15 kills. Six different Bulldogs have produced 1,000 or more career kills in a Concordia uniform.
Concordia 1,000-kill club
1. Becky Ernstmeyer (1993-96) – 1,740
2. Katie Werner (2004-07) – 1,600
3. Rachel Kirchner (1998-01) – 1,315
4. Renae Beikmann (1992-95) – 1,223
5. Darcy Lindner (1989-91) – 1,204
6. Mindy Evans Miller (1995-98) – 1,000+
Scouting Hastings
Hastings began the season outside the national top 25 but leapt all the way to No. 16 in the Sept. 16 NAIA coaches’ poll after an impressive early season run that has included wins over No. 3 Wayland Baptist University, No. 14 Oklahoma Baptist, No. 16 MidAmerica Nazarene and another over a College of the Ozarks squad that was receiving votes at the time of the match. Head coach Matt Buttermore’s Broncos are led by 2013 all-conference performers in senior right side Katie Zoucha (first team) and senior middle Jessica Osterhaus (second team). They also rely on standout freshmen such as setter Katie Placke and defensive specialist Jill Bax (Sept. 3 GPAC defensive player of the week). The Broncos are only two years removed from a 30-win season and GPAC regular-season title in 2012.
