2017 Volleyball

9-19 Overall | 3-13 GPAC | Season Stats | Roster

Pollart named full-time assistant on volleyball staff

SEWARD, Neb. – For the first time in history, the Concordia University volleyball program will operate with a full-time assistant. On Wednesday (April 5), head coach Scott Mattera announced the hiring of Abby Pollart, who assumes the role of top assistant. She will also serve a game management role within the athletic department.

Pollart’s official start date is set for July 5. She will arrive in Seward after having spent the past season as an assistant coach at NCAA Division II South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Since December, she has served as interim head coach for the Hardrockers.

Said Mattera, who will enter his sixth season at Concordia this fall, “When we started this process we really had to begin with an evaluation of what we need in this newly created position. We had many solid applicants to choose from, but Abby just came through with the best combination of technical skill, coaching and administrative experience, but most important, she truly shares our values.”

Originally from Powell, Wyo., Pollart felt at home on her visit to Concordia as part of the interview process.

“I am very grateful to the University, President Brian Friedrich, Athletic Director Devin Smith, Associate AD Angela Muller and Head Coach Scott Mattera for the opportunity to become a part of the Bulldog family,” wrote Pollart in a statement. “Everyone was incredibly welcoming and personable on my interview and that had a huge impact on my decision. This is a wonderful opportunity to be able to share my love and passion for volleyball, as well as to share and grow in faith for Christ. I hope to help continue to build the quality program and team culture that Coach Mattera has already instilled, as well as push our student-athletes to be the best they can be. I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity and I am excited to get started.”

A St. Gregory’s University (Okla.) alum, Pollart spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at NCAA Division II University of Arkansas at Monticello. Prior to her graduate assistantship, she volunteered as a coach at Cameron University (Okla.), another NCAA Division II institution.

A 2012 graduate of St. Gregory’s, Pollart earned her bachelor of science in social science. As a member of the volleyball team, she twice collected NAIA Scholar-Athlete accolades. Pollart carried a 4.0 GPA as both an undergrad and graduate student. She went on to pick up her master of education in physical education and coaching from Arkansas at Monticello.

Additionally, Pollart has been active in church work. She served as youth and young adult director/coordinator for Holy Family Catholic Church in Lawton, Okla., for two years.

More from Coach Mattera
Like most great coaches, she’s a total volleyball nerd who loves her players even more than the game and those traits came out in interactions with everyone on campus. The most common comments about her were, “she just seems genuine” and “she gets it.”

I’m so excited to get to work with her and I know the players are pumped too. This is going to bring a totally new dynamic to our program. I have no doubt that Abby is the answer to a whole lot of prayer.

Spring update: volleyball turns page with new leaders

It’ll be a new era for a Concordia University volleyball program that has turned the page after celebrating the careers of accomplished seniors that helped the Bulldogs reach the national tournament in 2015. It’s time to get used to seeing the rise of up-and-comers such as Emma Brand, Alex La Plant and Emmie Noyd and some new faces like transfer Kelsey Baarck.

In some ways, it’s a welcome breath of fresh air for the Bulldogs, who have put the 2016 season in the rearview mirror. The most familiar names are middle Annie Friesen and defensive specialist Jocelyn Garcia. Every year is different, and head coach Scott Mattera is still figuring out how the pieces will come together this fall.

“We got exactly what we were looking for out of it,” Mattera said of the spring season. “We were focused on defense, intensity and having fun playing together. We wanted to get back to that passionate Bulldog volleyball that’s really fun to watch. A lot kids got a lot of opportunity with the seniors that are moving on. We have a lot of openings and there will be going into the fall. That’s been kind of refreshing for the girls.”

Following Christmas break, members of the volleyball team participated in 6 a.m. weight room workouts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for a two-month period. Tuesday and Thursday afternoons were used for mobility exercises. In addition, Friday mornings included “culture breakfasts.” The team continues to collaborate with head coach Ryan Dupic’s baseball program on arm and shoulder workouts that make for more powerful athletes.

Some of the highlights of the spring season were matches against Central Community College, Doane and Nebraska Wesleyan. The Bulldogs also used special guest coaches as part of match against a group of alums and recruiting weekend.

A transfer from Mott Community College, Baarck could be an answer to the question on how Concordia can replace the combined 679 kills produced last season by seniors Paige Getz and Tiegen Skains. Baarck is a Frankenmuth, Mich., native who immediately impressed Mattera the first time he watched her play. Baarck redshirted this past fall and will have two seasons of eligibility.

She’s already catching attention with her athleticism. She’s the first player under Mattera to leap a 51-inch stack of boxes. There’s more. She owns the program record in the standing broad jump.

“She spent the fall just killing it against us in practice,” Mattera said. “We’re really excited about her. Her athleticism is a huge plus. She’s up there with the most explosive athletes that I’ve had here in five years. She embodies what we want Concordia athletics to be. I think she’s going to raise some eyebrows when people see her play.”

For the first time during Mattera’s tenure, Concordia elected team captains. The captain distinction has been placed upon Brand and senior-to-be Courtney Jurgens. Brand’s rise to captain status after just completing her first year as a Bulldog speaks volumes about the respect she’s earned from her teammates. Brand has hopes of filling the shoes left behind by Alayna Kavanaugh, one of the top setters in school history.

“It’s going to be weird watching a Bulldog volleyball team without Alayna setting,” Mattera said. “Emma got thrown into the fire last year when Alayna got knocked out with the shoulder injury. You could see flashes of what she can become. She plays with passion and brings some intangibles to the table. The big deal for her this spring and over the summer and the fall is consistency of location – every set being in a similar tempo so our hitters know what to expect. It also comes down to decision making. She really understands the game.”

Friesen missed the spring practice season while studying abroad. Her successful return from an ACL tear at the beginning of last season will have a say in whether the Bulldogs will enjoy a year of resurgence in 2017. Friesen had a monster sophomore season that saw her earn first team all-conference recognition in 2015. She will be full go when fall camp begins in August.

La Plant is a versatile player who figures to have more kill opportunities with Getz and Skains having moved on. La Plant pummeled 233 kills as a freshman. In the back row, Garcia possesses the most experience as a three-year starter. She has amassed 1,347 digs in her collegiate career.

“There will be some familiar faces even though we graduate a lot,” Mattera said. “Emmie Noyd got a lot of playing time last year with Annie going down. It’s pretty obvious that the potential is there. If you saw her play this spring you could see she’s coming around. We’re expecting her to take another step forward. On the right side, Jenna Habegger has been kind of the heir apparent for a couple years. She’s getting a lot more consistent.”

The back row did not get hit as hard by graduation. That area of the court includes names such as Garcia, sophomore Jenna Eller, Jurgens, Harlie Himmelberg, Madison Horne and others. Mattera calls the fight for playing time an “open competition” among them. Jurgens is highly respected as a team leader while Eller is already known for her wicked service game.

Lending support to the program will be new full-time assistant coach Abby Pollart whose official start date at Concordia is July 5. Mattera’s been sure to keep her in the loop in regards to spring proceedings. Says Mattera, “I can’t explain how excited and how blessed I feel to have Abby coming in.”

Now’s the time for making gains in terms of conditioning. Open gyms will be held periodically during the summer. The 2017 season is scheduled to officially open up on Aug. 19 when Baker University (Kan.) makes a visit to Walz Arena.

Schedule announced for 2017 volleyball season

2017 Volleyball Schedule | PDF

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University volleyball program unveiled another demanding slate of matches, as announced on Tuesday (May 30). The 2017 season is set to begin Aug. 19 when head coach Scott Mattera’s squad hosts Heart of America Athletic Conference member Baker University. The regular season schedule includes a total of 27 matches, including 10 against teams that were nationally ranked in the 2016 postseason coaches’ poll.

The GPAC schedule alone will provide plenty of challenges. GPAC squads made up the top three spots of last season’s final top 25 poll. This season’s schedule also features nonconference dates with No. 17 MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) (Aug. 26) and instate foe No. 23 Bellevue University (Aug. 30).

“We believe very strongly that, as a nationally relevant program, we should be playing a tough schedule,” Mattera said. “The GPAC is the top volleyball conference in the country, but we’ve also got some really nice out of conference matches as well.”

For the third year in a row, Concordia will host the Bulldog Bash. This year’s event is slated for Sept. 1-2 and will be made up of 13 matches, including seven on the opening day of the Bulldog Bash. Among the invitees are NCAA Division II schools Chadron State College (Neb.) and Missouri Southern State University and University of Mary (N.D.).

The early season nonconference slate will have Concordia headed to the Kansas City area after playing two matches on Aug. 25 at Missouri Valley College. After finishing up action with MidAmerica Nazarene, the Bulldogs plan to complete their weekend by visiting one of the famed Kansas City barbecue joints.

With last year’s national rankings serving as a guide, the marquee home dates will be Sept. 20 versus defending national champion Hastings, Oct. 6 versus rival Doane (12th in final 2016 poll) and Nov. 1 for the regular-season finale when 2016 national semifinalist Midland visits Walz Arena.

Ranked opponents
*Based on 2016 postseason poll
(1) Hastings (twice)
(2) Dordt
(3) Midland (twice)
(12) Doane (twice)
(17) MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
(23) Bellevue
(24) Morningside

A Bulldog with a lot of Baarck

Concordia is exactly the type of place Kelsey Baarck wanted to land at. In just a single year in Seward, Baarck has been especially impressed by the caring nature of the people of the university and the surrounding community.

It didn’t take long for Baarck to assimilate after transferring in from Mott Community College in Flint, Mich. Says Baarck, “Everyone generally cares about you. It’s just so nice to be at a place where everyone is so nice.”

For the most part, Baarck recruited Concordia. She contacted the Concordias of Ann Arbor, Chicago and Nebraska. Head coach Scott Mattera liked what he saw on the surface. While on a visit, Baarck skied high to pulverize volleyballs to the floor. Mattera and assistant coach Amanda Abbott looked at each other with matching grins. They knew they had found something.

Baarck didn’t put on much of a poker face herself. Her mother Stephanie, a Concordia-Chicago alum, easily picked up on it.

“My first impression was that it was a lot like home,” Baarck said. “It’s a small town like Frankenmuth. I just fell in love with it right away. My mom, she knew. We went to visit Chicago and Ann Arbor, but right away she knew I wanted to come here. She said, ‘I can see it on your face.’ I just felt comfortable. It just felt right.”

Baarck is one reason to be optimistic about Concordia’s chances of returning to its 2015 national tournament levels. The 5-foot-10 native of Frankenmuth, Mich., possesses loads of athleticism, as evidenced by her work in the weight room. She owns the volleyball program’s record in the standing broad jump and she can leap a 51-inch stack of boxes. Yeah, she’s got hops.

“She spent the fall just killing it against us in practice,” Mattera said. “We’re really excited about her. Her athleticism is a huge plus. She’s up there with the most explosive athletes that I’ve had here in five years. She embodies what we want Concordia athletics to be. I think she’s going to raise some eyebrows when people see her play.”

Mattera has a much better idea of what to expect of Baarck than any Bulldog fans. She spent the 2016 campaign as a redshirt and still has two years of eligibility remaining. This past fall she sat on the bench, wore No. 29 and held a clipboard, which she inadvertently broke during a match with Missouri Valley College. Now she’s ready to break opponents by smashing volleyballs from the outside.

Sitting out is never easy for any competitor. Baarck is ready to bite this fall.

“Probably one of the hardest experiences was sitting there and wanting to help the team, but knowing that I really couldn’t,” Baarck said. “I tried to do what I could on the bench and just keep the team positive when we were in tough situations.”

What some Concordia observers may have noticed last season is how well Baarck can rock out to some Cotton Eye Joe. She’ll help keep the mood light with her dance moves and she’ll also help a team win. She was a key member of Mott teams that went a combined 61-20 in her two seasons as a Bear. The 2014 squad went 38-7 while Baarck garnered conference freshman of the year honors.

That winning pedigree should serve Concordia well as it looks to rebound from last year’s 15-19 campaign. Baarck is one of the answers to the question: who replaces Paige Getz and Tiegen Skains as pin hitters? A top flight athlete, Baarck could quickly become a fan favorite once she begins pelting the Walz Arena floor boards while showcasing her high-flying abilities.

“I’ve always been a natural jumper,” Baarck said. “I was really short my freshman year of high school. In order to be an outside hitter I had to learn to jump over the block. I really pushed myself my freshman year to work on my jump so I could be the hitter I wanted to be – and I grew. That was helpful, too.”

An early childhood education major, Baarck’s return to the court comes at the perfect time for a program that said goodbye to an accomplished senior class. The Bulldogs will need her to help overcome a rigorous conference that ended up with the top-three ranked teams in last season’s final coaches’ poll.

This group is just fine with flying under the radar. The Bulldogs are ready to Baarck back with the help of a certain native of The Great Lakes State.

“I love being the underdog,” Baarck said. “I love being underestimated and being able to show people that they have to take us seriously.”

No predictions were given – except for one. There will be more dancing. “I always dance,” Baarck said. “That’s my warmup. That’s how I get myself pumped.”

Volleyball program introduces 11 new Bulldogs

SEWARD, Neb. – Head coach Scott Mattera did not have to go far to land the majority of the student-athletes that make up the class of 2017 Concordia University volleyball recruits. Eight of the new Bulldogs come from within the state of Nebraska. The states of Colorado, Minnesota and Texas are also represented in the incoming class.

Mattera has had success building a program while mining from many different states during his tenure. In-state recruiting has taken off just as the Bulldogs continue to extend their outreach throughout Nebraska.

“That’s been building for a few years now,” Mattera said. “Over the past several years we’ve been doing so many camps out in the community. We’ve done over 30 site camps at various high schools throughout the state. A lot more kids are recognizing that you can come to Concordia, get a great education and play some really good volleyball. I think it has a lot to do with how much we’ve been out in the community.”

With the losses from graduation, Mattera simply wanted to infuse additional talent into his roster with the incoming group.

“We’re losing a lot of experience at some pretty tough positions,” Mattera said. “We needed to go out and bring in some more height and athleticism and people that can put the ball away. Obviously, we’ll always take people who can pass and set. We brought in a lot players that have really high upside. The athleticism, the heart and the attitude are there. It’s a really high character class.”

The high character goes along with the credentials that this class possesses. Among the young pups is 6-foot-1 Tara Callahan, a Class D-2 first team all-state product of Brady High School. Other Nebraska natives to earn some form of all-state recognition from the Omaha World-Herald include Brooke Baugh (Friend), Allison Echtenkamp (Wayne), Allison Klipp (Meridian), Megan Kroeker (Heartland), Karissa Sims (Columbus) and Tristin Mason (Hampton). A 5-foot-6 libero, Mason joined Callahan on the Class D-2 first team.

“They’ve played high level volleyball,” Mattera said. “We really wanted to get to know these kids through the recruiting process. We talked to their coaches. We talked to their families. We talked to other people in their communities. It wasn’t just about whether they could play volleyball. We think we signed a really good class of future Bulldogs.”

Class of 2017 Volleyball Recruits

Brooke Baugh | 6-0 | OH/RS | Friend, Neb. | Nebraska Revolution VBC

Tara Callahan | 6-1 | S/RS | Brady, Neb. | Flatrock VBC

Maggie Durbin | 5-10 | OH/RS | Omaha, Neb. | 5 Star VBC

Allison Echtenkamp | 5-9 | OH/RS | Wayne, Neb.

Marissa Hoerman | 5-7 | DS | Evergreen, Colo. | Juggernaut VBC

Allison Klipp | 5-7 | DS/OH | Tobias, Neb. | Nebraska Revolution VBC

Megan Kroeker | 5-10 | M | Henderson, Neb.

Anna Lund | 6-0 | M | Rochester, Minn. | Southwest Minnesota VBC

Tristin Mason | 5-6 | DS/S | Hampton, Neb. | Nebraska Revolution VBC

Karissa Sims | 5-10 | OH/RS | Columbus, Neb. | Nebraska Revolution VBC

Kara Stark | 6-0 | M/OH | Frisco, Texas

Concordia volleyball nets AVCA Team Academic Award

SEWARD, Neb. – Already an NAIA Scholar-Team, the 2016-17 Concordia University volleyball squad also earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award, as announced last week (July 24). The Bulldogs have been listed among the AVCA’s award recipients each season under head coach Scott Mattera, who enters his sixth year at Concordia in 2017.

Concordia volleyball, which reached the national tournament for the first time in program history in 2015, has developed a reputation for high academic achievement. In both 2013 and 2014, the Bulldogs topped all volleyball teams in total number of NAIA Scholar-Athletes. Members of the 2016-17 squad combined for a 3.69 GPA.

Six volleyball student-athletes achieved NAIA Scholar-Athlete status this past fall: Annie Friesen, Paige Getz, Courtney Jurgens, Naomi Quigg, Alaina Ruszkowski and Taylor Workman.

Season preview: 2017 volleyball

Head coach: Scott Mattera (88-75, five years); 2015 GPAC coach of the year
2016 Record: 15-19 overall; 6-10 GPAC (7th)
Key Returners: S Emma Brand; OH/DS Jenna Eller; M Annie Friesen; DS Jocelyn Garcia; DS Courtney Jurgens; OH Alex La Plant; M Emmie Noyd
Key Newcomers: OH Kelsey Baarck; S/RS Tara Callahan; DS Marissa Hoerman; M Anna Lund
Key Losses: OH Paige Getz; S Alayna Kavanaugh; RS Tiegen Skains; M Taylor Workman
2016 GPAC All-Conference: Paige Getz (second team); Alayna Kavanaugh (second team); Jocelyn Garcia (honorable mention); Tiegen Skains (honorable mention) 

Outlook
There’s a breath of fresh air inside the Concordia volleyball program, now two years removed from its breakthrough national tournament berth in 2015. The Bulldogs’ fortunes reversed last season while up against one of the nation’s most challenging schedules. Lessons were learned during a campaign that resulted in a 15-19 overall mark. 

That record and the graduation of four prominent seniors fail to indicate the high level of talent that remains on board for sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera. Concordia believes it can make a dent, even inside a conference that put three teams into the 2016 national semifinals.

“I think this will be a year where we’re not worried what other people think about us going in,” Mattera said. “That includes me, too. I like the personality of this group and the raw talent. We’re long and athletic. It’s going to be a hard-working group that might raise some eyebrows as we develop together.”

Team captains, as voted by teammates, Emma Brand and Courtney Jurgens want to help lead a team that will hopefully avoid some of the issues that plagued it in 2016. The Bulldogs got off to a 1-6 start and had difficulty digging out. When in conference play, there wasn’t much margin for error while routinely playing top-ranked opponents.

“I think we learned to accept adversity a little better,” Jurgens said. “I hope that this team can be remembered for our hard work. We have a lot of really good players, but I want to see more of our hearts come out and really have that team unity, instead of individual talents, that drives us forward.”

Under Mattera, Concordia has emphasized power volleyball. Nearly 3,000 career kills have moved on between the departures of Paige Getz, Tiegen Skains and Taylor Workman. But Mattera doesn’t have to lose sleep because senior middle Annie Friesen, a first team All-GPAC choice in 2015, is back from a torn ACL and junior outside hitter Kelsey Baarck (transfer from Mott CC) is ready to make a significant impact after redshirting last fall. Heavily counted upon as freshmen in 2016, outside hitter Alex La Plant and middle Emmie Noyd now have a year of seasoning.

Throw in junior right side Jenna Habbegger in addition to the incoming recruiting class and there remains an abundance of the flashy hitters that inspire fans to fill the seats. If Friesen’s senior season resembles something close to her healthy sophomore season, the chances for a bounce back season will skyrocket.

“She’s a great presence at the net,” Mattera said. “She was top five in the country in hitting percentage her sophomore year. Emmie did an amazing job of filling in as a freshman. She really had a nice year. Annie is a huge source of energy. She’s somebody that keeps things light and loose, but still intense. She’s a huge competitor and somebody people like playing with and being around. That energy is such a hard thing to replace. Getting that back, we’re just a little excited about that.”

Friesen and a deep group of attackers will have a new setter. Alayna Kavanaugh started at that spot for four years, piling up 4,485 assists. With Kavanaugh having graduated, Brand has the most experience. She got extensive time when Kavanaugh sat out with an injury in the middle of the season. Brand dished out 41 assists in a straight-sets win over Briar Cliff. Another option is versatile freshman Tara Callahan, a first team all-state selection out of Brady High School. The 6-foot-1 Callahan can also play on the right side.

The most experienced player on the roster is senior defensive specialist Jocelyn Garcia. A three-year starter at libero, Garcia boasts a career total of 1,347 digs and was a first team all-conference performer in 2015. Mattera has no shortage of options among defensive specialists with names like Jurgens, Jenna Eller, Harlie Himmelberg and Madison Horne in the mix. Baarck and La Plant are also very capable passers out of the back.

There’s a lot be sorted out yet before the season’s first serve. Says Mattera, “The staff shift is a big deal and it’s been really successful and helpful so far. Then bringing in 11 newcomers. We graduated eight total and four, four-year starters. There are going to be a lot of new faces out there. We hope to continue the legacy that those (seniors) built.”

The staff shift Mattera speaks of involved the hiring of Abby Pollart, previously of South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, as the program’s first full-time assistant. She is also joined on the staff by graduate assistant Abby Saehler, who played collegiately at Wingate University. Both of the Abbys are drawing rave reviews. Said Jurgens, “We absolutely love Coach P. She has been so fantastic.”

The staff changes, the roster turnover, election of captains and many other factors ensure that the 2017 team will have a completely different identity. The vibe is much more positive than outsiders might expect after the results that came about last fall.

“We’re really excited about the structure we have coming back,” Mattera said. “The girls have really bought in to some of the cultural training we’ve gone through. We’re really excited about the idea of being in the gym together and getting better every day. When adversity comes, we’re looking to respond to it.”

For so many reasons, the 2017 season will be a fascinating one. There’s a buzz about new faces like Baarck, Callahan and others. Friesen is back in the middle. There’s intrigue over the transition at setter. How much of a leap will last year’s freshmen make in their sophomore seasons? Will a whistling Eller serve actually go straight through the net? How much will this team improve in the face of what was the NAIA’s best conference in 2016? We’ll soon have answers.

Mattera views the grind of the GPAC as a positive. Concordia will have plenty of opportunities to make noise and grab people’s attention.

“It’s a blessing and a curse,” said Mattera of the strength of the GPAC. “It’s hard to move up in your conference when everyone is vying for top 25 in the country. We had seven teams last year that were nationally ranked at some point. That’s a really good thing because it forces you to get better faster.”

Bulldog volleyball kicks off the 2017-18 year for all Concordia athletic teams. Mattera’s squad opens its season by hosting Baker University (Kan.) on Saturday, Aug. 19. First serve is set for 3 p.m. CT.

Volleyball picked seventh by GPAC coaches

2017 GPAC preseason poll

SEWARD, Neb. – Following a seventh place GPAC finish in 2016, the Concordia University volleyball team landed in the exact same spot in the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll, released on Monday (Aug. 14) by the GPAC. The Bulldogs are now two years removed from a fourth-place claim and GPAC tournament runner-up finish during their national tournament run of 2015.

Head coach Scott Mattera’s 2017 squad began preseason practice on Aug. 11. The Bulldogs will have a new identity after graduating a large group of prominent seniors from the 2016 team. Concordia will be captained by senior Courtney Jurgens and sophomore Emma Brand. Mattera welcomed 11 freshmen into the program when athletes reported to campus last week.

The Bulldogs will open up the new season on Saturday when Baker University (12-20 in 2016) makes a visit to Walz Arena. First serve from Seward is set for 3 p.m. CT. In the month of August, Concordia will also be at home to host Bethany College on Aug. 23 and Bellevue University on Aug. 30.

2017 GPAC Preseason Volleyball Coaches’ Poll
1. Hastings – 96 (7)
2. Dordt – 86 (3)
3. Midland – 84
4. Northwestern – 75 (1)
5. Doane – 60
6. Morningside – 59
7. Concordia – 51
8. Briar Cliff – 37
9. Dakota Wesleyan – 24
10. College of Saint Mary – 23
11. Mount Marty – 10

Athletic season opens up Saturday at Walz

SEWARD, Neb. – This one’s for real. Nine days after reporting back to campus for preseason camp, the Concordia University volleyball team will serve up the first Bulldog athletic contest of the 2017-18 academic year. Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad will welcome Baker University to Walz Arena for Saturday’s 3 p.m. nonconference tilt. The two programs last meet in the opening match of the 2012 season.

GAME INFO
Baker (0-0) at Concordia (0-0)
Aug. 19 | 3 p.m. | Seward, Neb. | Walz Arena
Watch live: Concordia Sports Network
Listen live: 104.9 Max Country
Play-by-play: Frank Greene

Concordia will debut a much different looking team than the 2016 edition. The Bulldogs will unveil a setter (or two), new hitters on the outside, a potential impact freshman in Tara Callahan, transfer Kelsey Baarck and a new full-time assistant coach. A positive vibe has permeated preseason camp, which featured the return of Annie Friesen, a first team All-GPAC performer in 2015. Friesen, defensive specialist Jocelyn Garcia and captain Courtney Jurgens are the lone seniors on the roster.

In preseason polls, Concordia landed at No. 7 in the GPAC and Baker checked in at No. 6 among the 14 volleyball programs in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs are coming off a 15-19 (6-10 GPAC) record in 2016. Meanwhile, the Wildcats finished at 12-20 (6-7 HAAC). Baker is located in Baldwin City, Kan.

The Wildcats are under the direction of second-year head coach Matt Windle. Of the team’s four all-conference selections in 2016, three return to the court this fall. Middle Olivia Brees garnered second team honors while piling up 203 kills and 132 blocks. Behind Brees, Baker ranked among the top 50 NAIA programs nationally in terms of blocks per game.

Fans of the Bulldogs will have plenty of early-season opportunities to check out Concordia volleyball. The team will play seven times at home before the close of the second week of school. The Bulldogs will also host Bethany College on Wednesday, Aug. 23.

Errors plague Bulldogs in season opening defeat

SEWARD, Neb. – An improved Baker University squad out of the Heart of America Athletic Conference spoiled the debut of the 2017 Concordia University volleyball team on Saturday (Aug. 19). In front of a large Walz Arena crowd that gathered as part of launch weekend on campus, the visiting Wildcats blazed to a 25-16, 25-16, 25-14, win in the season opener for both sides.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad will attempt to quickly regroup in time for another home match on Wednesday night.

“You look at all the individual pieces and we’ve got so much talent,” Mattera said. “We have great kids that work hard and stay together. They’re selfless. There’s a ton of talent. You can see flashes of it today.

“This is going to be a fun team to watch. I want to thank everyone who came out today. The results are going to be better. Help us believe in the process.”

Baker (1-0) played without the services of 2016 second team all-conference middle Olivia Brees, but still managed to outhit the Bulldogs, .303 to -.049. Concordia failed to register a positive hitting percentage in any of the three sets. On the other hand, Ashley Sparks (match high 12 kills) and company sizzled in the first (.375) and third (.409) sets.

The Bulldogs looked like a unit still adjusting to a revamped roster. Saturday saw Kelsey Baarck (five kills) make her Concordia debut after transferring in from Mott Community College. Additionally, senior middle Annie Friesen returned from the ACL tear she suffered last season and the combo of sophomore captain Emma Brand and freshman Tara Callahan replaced Alayna Kavanaugh in the setter role.

Some fine tuning will be needed after the Bulldogs committed 26 hitting errors in the season opener. Sophomore Alex La Plant had the most success on the attack. She pummeled seven kills on 17 swings. She was also one of four Bulldogs with exactly four digs. Callahan, a Brady High School product, dished out 14 assists in her first collegiate match.

Several front row players turned in fine afternoons for the Wildcats. Sparks (.333), Abby Goulding (.636) and Makaila Garcia (.375) each hit better than .300 while combining for 23 of the team’s 30 kills. Baker employed a setting duo of Jenna Sackman (12 assists) and Megan Milroy (10 assists). The Wildcats, coached by Matt Windle, were picked to finish sixth in the 14-team HAAC.

“We were ready physically. We were not ready mentally,” Mattera said. “We stayed together. The crowd came, exactly what we wanted. We just did not handle it well. We have to toughen up.”

Concordia also lost its season opener to Baker in 2012. The defeat on Saturday ended a run of four-straight years with a season opening victory for the Bulldogs.

Next up will be Wednesday’s visit from Bethany College, a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. First serve is set for 7:30 p.m. CT from Walz Arena. The Swedes are coming off a 10-22 campaign in 2016.

Season revs up with four-match week

SEWARD, Neb. – A stretch of four matches in four days awaits the Concordia volleyball team, which opened up its 2017 season last weekend with a straight sets home loss at the hands of Baker University. The Bulldogs will be back in front of their fans on Wednesday night to host Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference member Bethany College. Head coach Scott Mattera’s squad will then look forward to the Viking Invitational and a weekend trip to Marshall, Mo., home to Missouri Valley College.

This week’s schedule
Aug. 23 – vs. Bethany College, 7:30 p.m.
Viking Invitational (Marshall, Mo.)
Aug. 25 – vs. Ottawa University, 3 p.m.
Aug. 25 – at Missouri Valley College, 7 p.m.
Aug. 26 – vs. Avila University, 2 p.m.

Bethany will be the first of two KCAC opponents for Concordia. The Bulldogs want to show that they’ve learned from the mistakes that were made in the season opening defeat. They will contend with 2016 KCAC second team outside hitter Carli Vasholtz, who piled up 332 kills for a Swedes squad that finished 10-22 overall. Head coach Cheri Lindsay’s squad landed at No. 8 out of 12 teams in the KCAC preseason poll.

The KCAC favorite and defending league champion will serve as Friday’s first opponent at the Viking Invitational. Ottawa went a perfect 22-0 in KCAC regular-season play in 2016. The Braves, ranked just outside the top 25 in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll, will be beginning their season at the weekend event. Concordia will end the day by taking on Heart of America Athletic Conference member Missouri Valley, a team it beat in four sets at the Hastings Invitational in 2016. Ottawa and Missouri Valley went a combined 59-18 last fall. The final opponent of the week, Avila, is another foe from the HAAC. The Eagles finished 12-17 in 2016.

Mattera is hopeful of a big leap forward from match No. 1 to No. 2. Players such as junior Kelsey Baarck (transfer from Mott CC) and freshmen Tara Callahan and Marissa Hoerman made their Bulldog debuts, senior Annie Friesen returned from ACL surgery and several returners are getting adjusted to increased roles. Sophomore Alex La Plant performed solidly last weekend, downing seven kills on 17 swings. Concordia will also soon get defensive specialist Jocelyn Garcia back on the court.

Following this weekend’s road trip, the Bulldogs will get comfortable at Walz Arena with five home matches in a row. The home stand begins when 20th-ranked Bellevue University visits Seward on Aug. 30.

La Plant, Bulldogs bounce back with convincing win

SEWARD, Neb. – This was much more like the 2017 Concordia volleyball team that sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera envisioned. Sophomore Alex La Plant dominated on the outside and the Bulldogs flashed their power game, resulting in a 25-11, 25-19, 25-19, win over visiting Bethany College. Another strong crowd filled Walz Arena on Wednesday night.

Fans were treated to Concordia’s first victory of the new campaign. The Bulldogs improved to 1-1 on the strength of a .337 hitting percentage, which starkly contrasted their negative attacking clip from four days earlier.

“This is much more who we thought we were going to be,” Mattera said. “We’re a work in progress, no doubt about it. Our good is really good. We have a lot of new faces on the court and we’re putting it together. After that game on Saturday, our attitude is great. Our talent level is great. We know we’re going to get better every day.”

An athletic advantage was apparent on the Concordia side of the net. The Bulldogs hammered down 42 kills compared to just 18 for the Swedes of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. La Plant smashed 11 kills on 20 swings. She teamed with Kelsey Baarck (10 kills on 27 attempts) for a potent one-two punch. In the middle, Emmie Noyd needed only nine attacks to put down seven kills. Jenna Habegger crushed four kills on six swings.

They were routinely facilitated by freshman Tara Callahan, who racked up 34 assists. Concordia looked like a much more comfortable squad.

“In practice we really changed the whole dynamic,” La Plant said. “We picked up the pace and had high intensity drills that really focused on our weaknesses and what we need to get better at. We really just went from zero to 100 real quick. We came together as a team. The differences in practice carried over to the game.”

The Swedes (0-1) failed to pose a serious threat in any of the three sets. The Bulldogs set the tone by racing out to a 13-3 lead in the opening game. Behind Azucena Duarte (team high nine kills), Bethany made late pushes in the second and third sets, but didn’t possess the firepower to come all the way back.

Defensively, Concordia got a team best nine digs from freshman Marissa Hoerman. Senior Annie Friesen chipped in three blocks to go with her seven kills. The Bulldogs piled up 36 digs compared to 23 for the Swedes.

Concordia may not have just a single star emerge this season, but Mattera hopes to see many contributors every time out – just as he did on Wednesday.

“That’s kind of been one of the hallmarks of our program the past few years. Who do you try to stop?” Mattera said. “We want to be hard to scout. We want a coach to look at us and think, ‘Boy, who am I going to try to stop?’

“Our transition game can get a touch better, but overall we have to be happy hitting .337. It was solid.”

The Bulldogs will head out Thursday morning, bound for Kansas City and the Viking Invitational that will take place this weekend on the Missouri Valley College campus. The team will first enjoy Thursday afternoon’s Kansas City Royals game at Kauffman Stadium. Then on Friday, Concordia will be in Marshall, Mo., for contests versus Ottawa University (3 p.m.) and host Missouri Valley (7 p.m.). The event wraps up on Saturday with the Bulldogs taking on Avila University at 2 p.m.

Noyd, Habegger shine on day one of Viking Invitational

MARSHALL, Mo. – The Concordia University volleyball team showed growth throughout day one of the Viking Invitational hosted by Missouri Valley College. Jenna Habegger nearly equaled a career high for kills in match No. 1 and then Emmie Noyd exploded for a personal best 16 kills in match No. 2 as part of Friday’s action in Marshall, Mo. Ultimately, the Bulldogs suffered a pair of defeats, falling 25-20, 25-23, 25-10, to Ottawa University and then 25-15, 25-21, 18-25, 31-29, to Missouri Valley.

Both of Friday’s opponents received votes in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll. Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad now stands at 1-3 overall.

“While we didn't get the result we wanted in the win column, this could very well be a match we point to down the road as a turning point,” Mattera said. “MVC is a veteran team with some big time weapons and we pushed them to the limit by laying Bulldog volleyball. We battled so hard with class and joy in a very hostile environment. We've still got a lot of technical stuff to clean up but this mentality is what we've been looking for.”

If this Bulldog team is to turn the corner as those inside the locker room believe will happen, players like Noyd must emerge. The matchup in the middle between Noyd and Deborah Costanzo served as a highlight of the contest between Concordia and Missouri Valley. On this particular day, Noyd played the part of a star. She hammered eight kills on 16 swings versus Ottawa and then 16 kills on 31 attempts against Missouri Valley.

Noyd and company regrouped admirably after dropping the opening set, 25-15, to host Missouri Valley. The Bulldogs held the Vikings to a .143 hitting percentage in the third set and forced a drama-filled fourth set. Concordia came up short on set point on more than one occasion before Missouri Valley could finally exhale. The Vikings remained unbeaten at 7-0.

Habegger, a junior from Pawnee City, Neb., has had no finer day as a collegiate performer. She slugged 10 kills and hit .450 in the afternoon tilt. She also powdered seven more kills in the capper. The likes of Habegger, Noyd and sophomore Alex La Plant (15 kills on the day) were again set by freshman Tara Callahan, who has taken ownership of the setter position, much like Alayna Kavanaugh did in her rookie season.

“Habs and Emmie were beasts in the Ottawa match,” Mattera said. “It was easily Jenna's best match as a Bulldog. If we continue to get that kind of production from them and then connect with our outsides better than we did this match, this offense is going to be really fun.”

In the evening match, senior Jocelyn Garcia made her 2017 debut. She recorded 25 digs as she treks closer to the 1,500 mark for her career. Her return helps solidify the back row.

The Bulldogs will return to the court on Saturday for their final match at the Viking Invitational. Concordia and Avila University (0-3) will square off at 2 p.m. on the Missouri Valley campus. Live stats can be viewed here:https://portal.stretchinternet.com/Ottawa/.

Lund emerges in domination of Avila

MARSHALL, Mo. – Filling in for Annie Friesen, freshman middle Anna Lund seized the opportunity in a big way on Saturday afternoon. The native of Rochester, Minn., powered down six kills on seven attempts and chipped in six block assists, leading the Concordia University volleyball team to a 25-11, 25-13, 25-20, over Avila University in the team’s final match at the Viking Invitational hosted by Missouri Valley College.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera was pleased to see his squad carry over its strong play from Friday night’s third and fourth sets in a loss to Missouri Valley. The Bulldogs are now 2-3 after wrapping up the first full week of regular season action.

“We followed up last night battle with a great performance today against Avila who won earlier in the day,” Mattera said. “Our defense and blocking was really good and it was helped by how much we pressured them with our offense and serve game.”

Freshman setter Tara Callahan (33 assists, 12 digs) made use of Concordia’s wide variety of attacking options. Sophomore middle Emmie Noyd completed an impressive weekend by tallying nine more kills on 15 swings. Pin hitters Kelsey Baarck (nine kills, .438) and Jenna Habegger (seven kills, .462) enjoyed similar success. Defensively, Jocelyn Garcia racked up 12 digs and led a strong serve receive game for the Bulldogs.

Avila, which held off University of St. Mary in five sets in its first contest of the day, couldn’t match Concordia’s .325 hitting percentage. The Eagles, affiliated with the Heart of America Athletic Conference, hit -.021 while being stymied at the net. The Bulldogs accumulated 10 blocks thanks in large part to the play of Habegger, Lund and Noyd.

A native of Shelby, Neb., Noyd was named to the All-Viking Invitational team. Her weekend included 33 kills on 61 swings and 11 blocks. Noyd’s 16 kills against Missouri Valley were a career high.

Lund had seen action in only one set before being inserted into the starting lineup on Saturday. Mattera referred to her performance as the “highlight” of the day. The reward for Lund and company after Saturday’s win was a trip to Gates in Kansas City for a barbecue dinner.

Another significant challenge awaits on Wednesday (Aug. 30) when 20th-ranked Bellevue University visits Walz Arena for a 7 p.m. CT first serve. Concordia will play its next five matches at home.

Volleyball gets cozy at Walz

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University volleyball team will have already played seven home matches by the time the second week of classes comes to a close. This week’s hectic slate includes a visit from 20th-ranked Bellevue University on Wednesday prior to the start of the Bulldog Bash on Friday. This year’s Bulldog Bash is bigger than ever with 13 varsity matches set to take place during the two-day event (Sept. 1-2).

This week’s schedule
Wednesday, Aug. 30 vs. No. 20 Bellevue University, 7 p.m.
Bulldog Bash
Friday, Sept. 1 vs. Chadron State College, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 1 vs. University of Mary, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 2 vs. Missouri Southern State University, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 2 vs. York College, 5:30 p.m.
*View the complete Bulldog Bash schedule HERE.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera and his squad feels like they figured some things during their stay at the Viking Invitational (Aug. 25-26) at Missouri Valley College. After suffering a straight sets loss to Ottawa University, Concordia regrouped with a strong showing in a four-set loss to Missouri Valley and then breezed past Avila University on the final day of the invite. Sophomore Emmie Noyd flourished in the middle. She put down 33 kills on 61 swings over the weekend. Her hitting percentage for the week was an impressive .479.

The back row received a shot in the arm with the return of senior Jocelyn Garcia for the Ottawa match. Garcia didn’t miss a beat. She racked up 37 digs over seven sets of action and was perfect in serve receive. Garcia has pushed her career digs total to 1,384. Other notable performances were turned in by junior Jenna Habegger (24 kills on 64 swings at Viking Invite) and freshman Anna Lund (six kills and six blocks versus Avila), who stepped in and teamed with Noyd in the middle.

This week’s slate offers no opportunity for a letdown. The nationally-ranked Bruins (2-2) reached the national tournament last season and dealt the Bulldogs a decisive loss in 2016 (25-21, 25-14, 25-15). Concordia will then play a trio of NCAA Division II opponents at the Bulldog Bash: Chadron State (7-20 in 2016), Mary (9-20 in 2016) and Missouri Southern State (6-25 in 2016). All three NCAA schools are opening their seasons this weekend in Seward. Concordia will also host York (1-4) in its final match at the Bulldog Bash.

The first 100 students to attend Wednesday’s match versus Bellevue will receive a ticket voucher that will be good for a free T-shirt handed out after the second set has been completed.

This week serves as a prelude to the start of conference play on Sept. 6 when the Bulldogs will play at fourth-ranked Midland (4-3). It will be Concordia’s lone match next week.

All of this week’s home matches will be streamed live via the Concordia Sports Network. The radio home of Bulldog athletics, 104.9 Max Country, will broadcast each of this week’s contests with the exception of the final match at the Bulldog Bash. Live stats will be available for select matches (see THIS LINK).

Heart thumper goes the other way

SEWARD, Neb. – Three times the Concordia University volleyball team had a crack at match point during Wednesday night’s pulse pounder with instate rival and 20th-ranked Bellevue University. Somehow, the visiting Bruins always came up with the answer and walked away a winner, 25-20, 23-25, 22-25, 31-29, 15-7. The Bulldogs fell despite a career high 18 kills from sophomore Alex La Plant.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad has shown rapid improvement since a straight sets, season opening loss to Baker University on Aug. 19, but Concordia is no longer interested in moral victories. The Bulldogs now stand at 2-4 overall.

“I don’t know how to feel quite honestly,” Mattera said. “Obviously I’m a little frustrated that we let one get away. We had a chance to put a big win on the board and really gain some confidence beating a team as good as Bellevue. We just let it slip away. They did the little things better than we did.”

A little air leaked out of the building when Shayla Scanlan hammered one of her match high 19 kills to put away Concordia in the fourth set. Walz Arena exploded on several occasions during the match’s most tension-filled moments. The loudest cheers rang out when Jenna Habegger kept the Bulldogs alive with a highlight reel block. All Concordia needed was one more big play at the right moment – but it never came.

The Bruins (3-2) are a regional power coming off a national tournament appearance in 2016. When Concordia took down Bellevue in 2015, it was a breakthrough win for Mattera’s program and it remains the program’s lone victory over the Bruins since 1995. Led by Scanlan, Bellevue outhit the Bulldogs, .237 to .191, on Wednesday to avoid falling at Walz for a second straight time. Maddie Squiers dished out 50 assists and Cheyenne Mahnke topped the Bruins with 16 digs.

“They’re No. 20 in the country for a reason,” Mattera said. “They’re extremely well coached. They’re a great team, and we gave them all they could handle. On the flip side, we can only say ‘almost’ for so long. It’s still August, but that’s really tough.”

Down 19-15 in the second set, the Bulldogs mustered up the kind of effort they needed to keep hopes of an upset alive. The match still hung in the balance with the Bruins holding a 23-22 advantage. That’s when Emmie Noyd powdered a kill and then Kelsey Baarck caught fire, pulverizing back-to-back kills that ended the set with a thunderous Walz roar.

In some ways, it felt like 2015 again. La Plant (18 kills), Baarck (14 kills) and Emmie Noyd (10 kills, six blocks) all reached double figures in kills while being set by Tara Callahan (47 assists). In the back row, senior Jocelyn Garcia has been especially impressive. She chased down 25 more digs on Wednesday. She appears to be playing the best volleyball of her career. Fellow senior Annie Friesen added eight kills on 18 swings.

The Bulldogs will play four more times at home before concluding this week’s action. The program will welcome volleyball teams from six different institutions to the Bulldog Bash, which will play out Friday and Saturday in both Walz Arena and the PE Center Gym. As part of Friday’s schedule, Concordia will take on NCAA Division II foes Chadron State College (5:30 p.m.) and the University of Mary (7:30 p.m.). All Bulldog Bash matches played inside Walz Arena will be carried on the Concordia Sports Network. For the complete Bulldog Bash schedule, click HERE.

Bulldogs Baarck back at Bash, split with NCAA D-II foes

SEWARD, Neb. – A smoldering hot stretch from junior Kelsey Baarck helped the Concordia University volleyball team dig out of a discouraging hole in the team’s opening match at the 2017 Bulldog Bash. Baarck and company were oh-so-close to turning in a 2-0 day against a pair of NCAA Division II opponents. Ultimately, the Bulldogs settled for a 21-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-15, win over Chadron State College and a 25-21, 18-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-12 loss to the University of Mary in the night cap.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad now sits at 3-5 overall. Five of the season’s first eight matches have been played within the friendly confines of Walz Arena.

“When that match finished I turned to Coach and said, ‘That’s a good win right there,’” Mattera said of the triumph over Chadron State. “It was a good win because we got pushed that hard and we stuck with it. Chadron came to play in the first game and they were on fire in the second game. I’ll be honest, we got a little nervous there. We just kept battling and got it turned around.”

After dropping the first set and finding itself down 17-11 in second set versus Chadron State, Concordia called timeout and went to Baarck, who put down a kill with authority. At times, Baarck carried the Bulldogs during that crucial rally. She thundered eight of her match high 15 kills to the floor during the second game that concluded with Tara Callahan and Anna Lund combining on a block.

Blocking was a theme in the win. Concordia stonewalled Chadron State with 16 blocks. Senior Annie Friesen was involved in half of them while Jenna Habegger was credited with five blocks. Stellar defense at the net held the Eagles to negative hitting percentages in both the third and fourth sets and to a .076 hitting percentage for the match.

Baarck ended up with 27 kills for the day. La Plant followed her with 22 kills. Said Mattera, “It was really our outsides stepping up today. We know they’ve been capable of that.”

The Bulldogs also made a spirited rally late in the fourth set in its defeat. Trailing 23-18, La Plant spurred a comeback bid with a kill. Eventually, Concordia got back within one (24-23) before a block by Anna Nietfeld sent the match to a deciding fifth set. The Bulldogs never led in the fifth set, though they battled back from a 5-1 deficit and got even at 8-8, 9-9 and 10-10. Led by Friesen (eight kills on 15 swings), Concordia actually outhit Mary, .135 to .117.

The Bulldog Bash will enter day two on Saturday. Concordia will play NCAA Division II Missouri Southern State University (2-0) at 3:30 p.m. and then turn around and play NAIA member York College (1-6) at 5:30 p.m. to wrap up the weekend. Missouri Southern State beat both Bethany College and York in Seward on Friday. Meanwhile, York also fell to Chadron State.

Bulldogs smash on final day of bash

SEWARD, Neb. – The final day of the Bulldog Bash could prove to be a confidence builder for the Concordia University volleyball team. While playing back-to-back matches in back-to-back days, the Bulldogs defeated NCAA Division II Missouri Southern State University, 25-19, 25-22, 19-25, 29-27, and then York College, 25-9, 25-14, 20-25, 25-14.

The final tilt with York was a battle of attrition between a couple of tired squads. Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad continues to show progress and has now run its record back to .500 (5-5).

“This was a learning experience,” Mattera said. “We talked before the fourth game (versus York) that this game was about telling yourselves and everybody else who we really are, and we did it in the fourth. We’re going to get out of here 3-1 on the weekend. It’s a team that’s clearly growing.”

Several key figures made up for the absence of sophomore middle Emmie Noyd for the second day in a row. Five different Bulldogs pelted 10 or more kills in the victory over Missouri Southern State (2-2) as setter Tara Callahan (51 assists) sprayed the ball around. Her passes were finished by the likes of Kelsey Baarck (13), Alex La Plant (12), Annie Friesen (11), Jenna Habegger (11) and Anna Lund (10).

However, it was gritty defensive work that keyed the win. The Bulldogs held the Lions to .070 hitting. Jocelyn Garcia piled up 19 digs and Emma Brand totaled 18. Concordia also threw in 11 blocks – eight of which involved Callahan, a versatile setter with many skills.

In the win over York (1-9), Habegger hit .556 and slammed a career high equaling 11 kills. The junior from Pawnee City, Neb., has stepped into a much larger role this fall.

“It’s definitely a bigger role and I’m really excited to do that,” Habegger said. “I played behind people like Claire White and Tiegen Skains and I learned a lot from them the past two years. This year I’m ready to show everybody what they taught me.”

Habegger and company hit .381 while dispatching of York. Other than a hiccup in the third set, the Bulldogs were efficient on the attack despite tired legs. Garcia totaled 31 digs on the day, pushing her career number to 1,467 as she pushes closer to the 1,500 mark. La Plant was the team’s kills leader in both matches with 12 and then 15.

The Bulldogs hope a challenging nonconference schedule has prepared them well for the start of the GPAC season. Concordia and fourth-ranked Midland (7-3) will go head-to-head on Wednesday with first serve of the varsity match slated for 7:30 p.m. CT in Fremont. The Warriors are coming off a season in which they advanced to the national semifinals.

Battle at fourth-ranked Midland looms Wednesday

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University volleyball team appears to be getting closer to hitting its stride. Good timing. The next five matches for the Bulldogs will all come against teams ranked in the top 15 of the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll. Up next is Wednesday’s tilt at No. 4 Midland. The Warriors are coming in hot, having won seven in a row after an 0-3 start to their 2017 campaign.

MATCH INFO
Concordia (5-5) at No. 4 Midland (7-3)
Wednesday, Sept. 6 | 7:30 p.m.
Wikert Event Center | Fremont, Neb.
Webcast: Stretch Internet
Radio: 104.9 Max Country (Frank Greene)

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad is fresh off a 3-2 week that could have easily been 5-0. Concordia missed out on an opportunity to upset 20th-ranked Bellevue University. The Bulldogs failed on three match point chances and eventually fell in five sets. They recovered nicely by winning three of four matches at the annual Bulldog Bash. Included in those three victories were wins over NCAA Division II foes Chadron State College and Missouri Southern State University.

An adjustment phase was to be expected after the program graduated one of its all-time best setters (Alayna Kavanaugh) and three hitters who combined for nearly 3,000 career kills (Paige Getz, Tiegen Skains, Taylor Workman). In recent outings, Mattera has been encouraged with the emergence of young talents such as Tara Callahan (353 assists), Marissa Hoerman (51 digs), Alex La Plant (107) and Anna Lund (41 kills, 15 blocks). They are still getting acclimated along with upperclassmen like seniors Jocelyn Garcia (1,465 career digs) and Annie Friesen (495 career kills).

Eighth-year head coach Paul Giesselmann has built a powerful program in Fremont. A national semifinalist in 2016, the Warriors feature junior middle Priscilla O’Dowd, who is hitting .429 with 115 kills and 34 blocks. Midland has played seven of its first 10 matches against teams that are either nationally ranked or receiving votes. The Warriors have won each of the last four meetings with Concordia since the Bulldogs interrupted Midland’s undefeated season (22-0) in 2015. In likely the most significant win of Mattera’s tenure at Concordia, the Bulldogs topped the Warriors in five sets on Oct. 14, 2015.

Concordia will have the weekend off. It will return to action next Wednesday (Sept. 13) with a short ride to Crete for a battle at No. 15 Doane. The Bulldogs will later host 13th-ranked Northwestern on Sept. 16.

Bulldogs fall in GPAC opener at No. 9 Midland

FREMONT, Neb. – Trips to Fremont can be treacherous for any volleyball program. In a Wednesday tilt with No. 9 Midland at the Wikert Event Center, the Bulldogs acquitted themselves well in the second set but ultimately suffered the same fate as many visitors, dropping the match, 25-14, 25-22, 25-17.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad entered the night having won three of its four weekend matches at the Bulldog Bash. Concordia now stands at 5-6 overall after becoming the Warriors’ eighth victim in a row. Wednesday marked the GPAC opener for both sides.

“Midland is just a much more polished team at this point and they played well,” Mattera said. “We came out nervous in our first conference road match and that showed in game one. We settled in during game two and really played good volleyball. When you hit .387 against Midland, you know you're clicking. It just came down to late errors. Game three was much closer than the score indicated but they really showed us what a consistent team looks like.”

Consistency is easier to come by when you can send out middles like Priscilla O’Dowd (13 kills on 28 swings) and Sydney Morehouse (9 kills on 11 attacks). They spearheaded an attack that outhit the Bulldogs, .296 to .200. Concordia’s hot second set was mitigated in part by its seven service errors that came during that stretch. A .294 hitting percentage in the second set was good enough for the Warriors (8-3, 1-0 GPAC), who were ranked fourth in the national preseason poll.

On the plus side, junior outside hitter Kelsey Baarck enjoyed a fine night, flooring nine kills on 13 swings. Once again, sophomore Alex La Plant topped the team with 12 kills. Freshman Tara Callahan sprayed around 30 assists. Defensively, senior Jocelyn Garcia recorded 18 digs and sophomore Harlie Himmelberg added 12 digs.

This weekend will provide the Bulldogs a breather in the schedule. They are slated to return to action next Wednesday (Sept. 13) for a road contest at No. 16 Doane (8-4, 0-1 GPAC). Concordia hopes to snap a three-match series losing streak to the Tigers. Doane has played six nationally-ranked teams to this point. In Wednesday’s action, the Tigers were beaten in straight sets at No. 1 Hastings.

“Overall there were a lot of positives from this one. We just need to keep growing,” Mattera said. “We are looking forward to a few days off to get healthy and we're going to have a great week getting ready for a big one next Wednesday.”

GPAC grind continues for Bulldogs

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University volleyball team will soon have a great understanding of where it stacks up in comparison to conference rivals regarded as NAIA top 25 teams. Following last week’s opener at ninth-ranked Midland, the Bulldogs are set to play another five matches in a row against nationally-ranked GPAC teams. That stretch starts with Wednesday’s trip to No. 16 Doane.

This week’s schedule
Wednesday, Sept. 13 at No. 16 Doane, 7:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, Sept. 16 vs. No. 14 Northwestern, 3 p.m. CT

Of the season’s first 11 matches for sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad, seven have been played inside Walz Arena. Wednesday will mark just the third true road contest of the year. Prior to last week’s defeat at Midland, Concordia had won three of the four matches while hosting the annual Bulldog Bash (Sept. 1-2). That weekend included a pair of wins over NCAA Division II opponents: Chadron State College and Missouri Southern State University.

One of the biggest positives to come out of the GPAC opener was the play of outside hitter Kelsey Baarck, who pummeled nine kills on three swings. Additionally, senior Jocelyn Garcia added 18 digs, pushing her career total to 1,483. Fellow senior Annie Friesen needs four more kills to reach 500 for her career. Concordia enters this week hitting .188 as a team. Its opponents have hit .167.

Doane has tested itself against a schedule ranked 15th most difficult in the nation according to Massey Ratings. The Tigers (8-4, 0-1 GPAC) have dropped four matches, but all of those losses have come against teams with top 10 national rankings. Doane began GPAC play with a straight sets loss at No. 1 Hastings. Allison Kuenle is the team leader with 149 kills (39th most in the nation).

The Red Raiders have already made one trip to Seward this season having played at the Bulldog Bash. Northwestern (13-1, 0-0 GPAC) has a showdown on Wednesday with No. 5 Dordt (13-2, 1-0 GPAC) before visiting Walz Arena this weekend. Northwestern has played the NAIA’s 124th-ranked schedule to this point. The Red Raiders currently lead the nation in hitting percentage (.336).

Webcast links:
-Wednesday at Doane
-Saturday vs. Northwestern

Garcia tops 1,500 career digs in battle with Doane

CRETE, Neb. – An impressive second set flurry provided hopes of a road upset, but the Concordia University volleyball team failed to sustain it. Ultimately, No. 16 Doane claimed a 25-17, 18-25, 25-19, 25-17 win in its first home appearance of 2017. It was the second GPAC contest for both sides on Wednesday.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad returned to action for the first time since a straight sets loss at No. 9 Midland on Sept. 6. The Bulldogs dipped to 5-7 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

“There’s no putting a dress on this pig,” Mattera said. “We just got outplayed and outcoached. Again we showed flashes of greatness but we just weren’t consistent enough or tough minded enough to sustain it. The positive is that we are absolutely still together and willing to battle through these growing pains. We are going to work harder, get tougher and get better.”

In a notable effort, senior libero Jocelyn Garcia eclipsed 1,500 career digs by adding 22 more (plus 24 service receptions) on Wednesday night. She also dropped in four of the team’s service aces. A first team all-conference selection in 2015, Garcia helped limit the Tigers to a .150 hitting percentage.

Garcia and company put together a strong performance in the second set. With the game knotted at 10-10, the Bulldogs went on a 10-1 run to take control. Sophomore Alex La Plant hammered one of her team high 12 kills for set point in the second. That momentum appeared to spill over into the third set. A second Garcia ace in three attempts made it 5-2, forcing a Doane timeout.

The Tigers (9-4, 1-1 GPAC) came back, but not because any single hitter sizzled offensively. Alexis Dale contributed to nine of the team’s 14 blocks (compared to five for Concordia). On the attack, Maci Coffey (12 kills) and Allison Kuenle (11 kills) were the leaders for Doane, whose only losses this season have come against squads with top 10 national rankings.

Junior Jenna Habegger (10 kills) joined La Plant in double figures for kills. Emmie Noyd returned to the court in the middle and tallied five kills. Freshman setter Tara Callahan added 31 assists and seven digs.

The Bulldogs will return to Walz Arena for their eighth home match of the season when 16th-ranked Northwestern (14-1, 1-0 GPAC) visits Seward. Concordia has won four of its first seven contests at home. The Red Raiders will bring the nation’s top hitting percentage into action.

Callahan and the Dawgs push No. 14 Northwestern

SEWARD, Neb. – Fresh off a win over fifth-ranked Dordt, No. 14 Northwestern found itself in a battle inside Walz Arena on Saturday (Sept. 16) afternoon. Concordia freshman Tara Callahan accomplished a rare feat by posting double figure totals for assists (33), kills (12) and digs (11). It just wasn’t quite enough to overcome one of the nation’s best offensive teams. The Red Raiders won, 16-25, 25-21, 31-29, 25-23.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad is in the midst of an especially rigorous portion of its schedule. Concordia is now 5-8 overall and 0-3 in the GPAC with all three conference losses coming at the hands of top 20 nationally-ranked opponents. This loss felt like a step forward.

“There was a lot of growth on that court today,” Mattera said. “It’s one where we’re going to be kicking ourselves because we had opportunities, but we have to be proud of that fight. I absolutely believe Northwestern is a top 10 team in the country. We just battled. These are the types of games where we’ve gotten down four or five and just let it go. We did not let it go at any point in this match today.”

The Bulldogs threw in some wrinkles that the Red Raiders (15-1, 2-0 GPAC) may not have anticipated. The team’s primary setter, Callahan saw extended action on the right side. The results were impressive. The freshman from Brady, Neb., swatted 12 kills on 24 attacks without making an error. With Callahan on the right side, Emma Brand got time at setter and tossed up nine assists.

But Northwestern is a difficult team to match kill for kill. Head coach Kyle Van Den Bosch has collected hitters like coins. The headliner is Iowa State transfer Anna Kiel, who turned in a match high 19 kills on 38 swings. Kiel and AJ Horstman (14 kills) teamed up for a terrific duo. They were spurred on by setter Lacey Wacker, who dialed up 49 assists.

Concordia did a commendable job keeping up, being at only a slight disadvantage in hitting percentage (.247 to .233). The Bulldogs blitzed the Red Raiders in the opening set, hitting .387 out of the gate. Northwestern couldn’t figure out how to stop Jenna Habegger. She went off for eight of her 12 kills in the opening set. Kelsey Baarck also chipped in five kills during a first set that saw Concordia beat Northwestern at its own game.

“This was a huge step forward,” Mattera said. “We are not satisfied with this at all, but we left it out there today.”

Senior Jocelyn Garcia continues to pad her dig total. She equaled a match high with 18 digs on Saturday, three days after she eclipsed 1,500 digs for her career. Fellow senior Annie Friesen topped the Bulldogs with four blocks.

Concordia will take its shot at top-ranked and unbeaten Hastings (11-0, 3-0 GPAC), the defending national champion, on Wednesday (Sept. 20). First serve of the varsity match is set for 7:30 p.m. from Walz Arena. The Bulldogs are now an even 4-4 at home this season.

Three more ranked teams make up this week's schedule

SEWARD, Neb. – Three more significant opportunities await the Concordia University volleyball team this week. Encouraged by the growth shown in last week’s four-set loss to soaring Northwestern, the Bulldogs have hopes of getting on the board with a conference victory. In this week’s action, head coach Scott Mattera’s squad will go up against three teams rated in the most recent NAIA coaches’ poll: No. 1 Hastings, No. 5 Dordt and No. 24 Morningside (a new poll will be released on Tuesday, Sept. 19).

This week’s schedule
Wednesday, Sept. 20 vs. (1) Hastings, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 22 at (5) Dordt, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 23 at (24) Morningside, 3 p.m.

Concordia (5-8, 0-3 GPAC) has been a work in progress while featuring many new faces and returners with increased roles. There have been flashes of brilliance, such as the third set last week at Doane and then the opening set this past weekend versus a hot Northwestern squad that is primed to make a move upward from 14th in the national rankings. The Bulldogs hit .387 while taking the first set, 25-16, from the Red Raiders. Freshman Tara Callahan showed off her diverse skill set, going for double figure totals in assists (33), kills (12) and digs (11) in the matchup with Northwestern.

The trick is for Concordia to get each of its key players to perform at a high level at the same time. Senior Jocelyn Garcia, who recently surpassed 1,500 career digs, has been reliable in the back row while sophomore Alex La Plant (139 kills) and junior Kelsey Baarck (116 kills) have been the team’s primary weapons on the outsides. Emmie Noyd (.281 hitting percentage) returned in the middle last week. She put down nine kills versus Northwestern. Senior middle Annie Friesen needs one more kill for 500 in her career.

The Bulldogs could make a big splash this homecoming week by stunning undefeated defending national champion Hastings (11-0, 3-0 GPAC) inside Walz Arena on Wednesday. The Broncos, coached by Matt Buttermore, are a well-rounded team that sports national rankings of first in blocks per game (3.0), second in kills per game (14.6) and eighth in hitting percentage (.266). National runner up to Hastings last season, Dordt (14-3, 2-1 GPAC) has also built a reputation as a powerful attacking program. The Defenders’ Ema Altena ranks fifth in the NAIA in kills per set (4.47). The final opponent of the week, Morningside (9-7, 1-2 GPAC), picked up its biggest win of the season when it toppled No. 20 Bellevue University in four sets on Sept. 2.

Following this week’s action, Concordia will be at College of Saint Mary (7-5, 0-2 GPAC) on Sept. 27 before returning home to host Briar Cliff (11-0, 2-0 GPAC) on Sept. 30.

Official GPAC poll (Sept. 18)
1. Hastings (11-0, 3-0 GPAC)
2. Dordt (14-3, 2-1 GPAC)
3. Midland (10-3, 3-0 GPAC)
3. Northwestern (15-1, 2-0 GPAC)
5. Doane (9-5, 1-2 GPAC)
6. Morningside (9-7, 1-2 GPAC)
7. Concordia (5-8, 0-3 GPAC)
8. Briar Cliff (11-0, 2-0 GPAC)
9. Dakota Wesleyan (12-6, 1-2 GPAC)
10. College of Saint Mary (7-5, 0-2 GPAC)
11. Mount Marty (6-5, 0-3 GPAC)

Defending national champs escape Walz with win

SEWARD, Neb. – Defending national champion and top-ranked Hastings made a great escape from Walz Arena with its lengthy win streak still intact. Emphasis on the word ‘escape.’ A rapidly improving Concordia University volleyball team outhit the Broncos through the opening two sets while feeding off the most frenzied home crowd it has seen so far in 2017. Hastings showed its championship mettle in tight spots and won, 26-24, 27-25, 25-15, on Wednesday evening.

The W’s aren’t coming just yet against the top notch opponents for sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad, but the growth is evident for the Bulldogs (5-9, 0-4 GPAC). At the same time, Concordia isn’t all that interested in moral victories.

“We pushed No. 1 in the country, but not at this point in the season (are we satisfied),” Mattera said. “We have people making the same mistakes that they made on day one. That’s on me. That’s on the coaching staff. We have to start making some hard decisions. We can list all of the positives and everything. I love this team. The reason I’m frustrated is because I believe in them so much. They need to start believing in themselves. We have to toughen up. We’re on the road, but we have to be moving down that road faster.”

The losses can wear on a team, but there’s no shame in the effort the Bulldogs put together on Wednesday. The excruciatingly tight defeats in the first and second sets made for an understandable emotional bubble burst. The Broncos (12-0, 4-0 GPAC) pounced in the third set, hit .385 and closed out their 22nd win a row.

Hastings may have graduated conference player of the year Logan Drueppel, but current senior Katie Placke may throw her name in the discussion for that award in 2017. She pummeled a match high 13 kills while hitting .429. She helped carry her squad on a night when the Broncos were hitting .175 after the first two sets.

There’s a feeling of frustration on Concordia’s part because of more thinking of what could have been. The Bulldogs led by as many as six points in the first set and later pulled even (24-24) after a Kelsey Baarck kill. It didn’t work out. Then in the second set, the Bulldogs forced another 24-24 tie with a three-points-in-a-row sequence punctuated by a Jenna Habegger kill. It set up for more heartache when Casey Korlikowski’s serve pelted the floor for a set point ace.

Good things happened for Concordia when it went to the middle. Sophomore Emmie Noyd put down eight kills and hit .471. Meanwhile, senior Annie Friesen floored six kills on nine swings, moving her past 500 kills in her career. Their production wasn’t enough to overcome Hastings advantages of .229 to .170 in hitting percentage and 8-1 in blocks. In addition, Bronco libero Jill Bax was a buzzkill in the back row, rattling off 27 digs.

The Bulldogs will take their shot at two more ranked opponents this weekend with a road trip to western Iowa. On Friday, Concordia will take on No. 6 Dordt (15-3, 3-1 GPAC) at 7:30 p.m. CT in Sioux Center, Iowa. The next day, the Bulldogs will be in Sioux City, Iowa, for a 3 p.m. CT first serve at No. 24 Morningside (10-7, 2-2 GPAC).

La Plant leads attack in defeat at No. 6 Dordt

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – It just wasn’t their night. Seeking their first win of GPAC play, the Bulldogs were toppled at sixth-ranked Dordt, which hit a blistering .341 on Friday night. The host Defenders brushed aside the Concordia University volleyball team, 25-18, 25-13, 25-18.

Seventh-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad now stands at 5-10 overall. Concordia has one last match left in a string of six straight against each of the GPAC’s nationally-ranked teams.

Said Mattera, “Anyone who has played at Dordt knows that sometimes they just have nights where everything turns to gold. They played fantastic volleyball and we played just OK. That's enough to make the scores look the way they did. We battled with great energy in the third in a very tough environment but it just wasn't enough against a team that was on fire the way they were.”

The Defenders (16-3, 4-1 GPAC) hit .423 in the second set and then .367 in the third while making quick work of the Bulldogs. The primary villains were Ema Altena (12 kills, seven digs) and Leah Kamp (nine kills) for a squad that is now 5-0 at home. The perennially powerful Dordt program is coming off a national runner up finish in 2016.

Sophomore Alex La Plant delivered five of her seven kills in the opening set. She hit .389 on the evening while serving as the team’s top hitter at Dordt. As a team, Concordia managed only 25 kills compared to 40 for Dordt. The Defenders also owned advantages of 7-1 in aces, 44-30 in digs and 5-2 in blocks.

The Bulldogs will complete their weekend road trip with a 3 p.m. CT match at No. 24 Morningside (11-7, 3-2 GPAC) on Saturday. The Mustangs were also in action on Friday and outlasted 15th-ranked Doane in five sets in a contest played in Sioux City, Iowa. Morningside will carry a four-match win streak into the day.

“We are not hanging our heads at all and we're looking forward to another shot against a ranked team tomorrow,” Mattera said. “The attitude of the team is great and we are continuing to work towards where we know we can be.”

Bulldogs fall at No. 24 Morningside

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Concordia University volleyball team is ready for the schedule to show some forgiveness. On Saturday afternoon, the Bulldogs fell while up against their sixth nationally-ranked opponent in a row. Host Morningside dealt Concordia a 25-18, 25-18, 25-19, loss in a match contested in Sioux City, Iowa.

The record might not show it, but the Bulldogs have displayed growth over a week laced with land mines. Concordia dropped a match on Friday at No. 6 Dordt prior to Saturday’s tilt. Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad now stands at 5-11 overall (0-6 GPAC).

“We played another great team who played great against us,” Mattera said. “We weren't bad but we weren't consistent enough to beat a team like that. It was one of those matches in which there wasn't one thing to point to. Literally everyone had some great moments and literally everyone had some head scratchers. We are staying the course. Anyone who has seen us knows how close we are to breaking through.”

The Mustangs (12-7, 4-2 GPAC) are riding a five-match win streak. Krista Zenk led all players with 12 kills on the strength of a .370 hitting percentage. As a team, Morningside outhit the Bulldogs, .252 to .159. After the Mustangs hit .417 in the opening set, Concordia held them to percentages of .190 and .162 in the second and third sets, respectively.

Once again, the Bulldogs were led by the eight kills of sophomore Alex La Plant. In the back row, senior Jocelyn Garcia (17 digs) and freshman Marissa Hoerman (19 digs). Up front, Emmie Noyd slammed five kills on 12 swings. Freshman Tara Callahan tossed up 23 assists. The Bulldogs out-blocked Morningside, 5-2.

GPAC play will continue on Wednesday (Sept. 27) with a trip to College of Saint Mary (7-7, 0-4 GPAC) for a 7 p.m. CT first serve. Both sides will be in search of their first conference victory.

Bulldogs seek return to win column

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University volleyball team is ready to get back into the win column on the heels of a challenging six-match stretch to open up conference play. The Bulldogs have already played each of the GPAC’s six nationally-ranked squads. Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera and company hope that the brutal stretch will pay dividends moving forward for a squad featuring plenty of freshmen and sophomores in key roles.

This week’s schedule
Wednesday, Sept. 27 at College of Saint Mary, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 30 vs. Briar Cliff, 5 p.m.

Concordia made top-ranked Hastings (14-0, 6-0 GPAC) sweat out the first two sets of a contest played inside Walz Arena on Sept. 20. The Broncos (24-match win streak) survived despite a strong push from the Bulldogs. Concordia found the road unkind over the weekend and fell in straight sets to both No. 6 Dordt (16-3, 4-1 GPAC) and 24th-ranked Morningside (12-7, 4-2 GPAC). To this point, the Bulldogs have played one of the most difficult schedules of any volleyball program in the NAIA.

A win at College of Saint Mary could go a long way towards lifting Concordia’s spirits. There have been obvious examples of growth during trying times. Up-and-comers like freshmen Tara Callahan (triple double vs. Northwestern) and Marissa Hoerman (career high 19 digs at Morningside) and sophomore Alex La Plant (team high 161 kills) have had their moments of brilliance. Keeping sophomore middle Emmie Noyd (.292 hitting percentage) healthy the remainder of the year will be crucial.

The Flames (7-7, 0-4 GPAC) are also in search of their first conference win after suffering defeats last week to No. 9 Midland and Mount Marty. CSM’s Dani Carlson ranks seventh among GPAC hitters with an average of 3.5 kills per set. Meanwhile, Briar Cliff (11-3, 2-3 GPAC) has dropped three matches in a row after an 11-0 start. Like the Bulldogs, the Chargers (third in the GPAC in blocks per set) have found the going tough against the conference’s powerhouse teams.

Both of this week’s matches will be streamed online. College of Saint Mary will carry Wednesday’s contest via its Stretch Internet portal. Bulldog volleyball will be back on the Concordia Sports Network on Saturday. Frank Greene will be at College of Saint Mary to broadcast the match on 104.9 Max Country.

Concordia will play just once next week. The Bulldogs will host No. 15 Doane at 7:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 6.

Habegger drops 16 kills in five-set road defeat

OMAHA, Neb. – The Concordia University volleyball team hoped a trip to Omaha would provide the confidence boost it sought. Instead, host College of Saint Mary came from behind and dealt the Bulldogs a 21-25, 25-20, 19-25, 25-21, 15-9 defeat on Wednesday evening in a matchup between two squads looking for their first GPAC victory of 2017.

It’s been a frustrating stretch for sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad. Concordia (5-12, 0-7 GPAC) has struggled to produce results against one of the nation’s most challenging schedules.

“Right now we are just a team that doesn't know how to win,” Mattera said. “There were times that we looked dominant and then we'd take turns making mistakes. We got so tight in all of the big moments and we need to learn how to overcome that and just remain tough and together. Nothing is coming easy right now but we love each other and are still in this fight.”

Junior Jenna Habegger emerged as the biggest bright spot. She hammered a career high 16 kills while hitting .355. Six of her kills came during a first set that saw the Bulldogs jump on top of the Flames (8-7, 1-4 GPAC) by hitting a collective .333. Concordia exerted control again in the third set with another strong performance. In the fourth set, the Bulldogs cut a five-point deficit down to one (20-19) before CSM ultimately forced the fifth set.

The Flames held Concordia to .181 hitting for the match and relied upon the duo of Dani Carlson (21 kills) and Payton Robley (.400) on the attack. Defensively, Emily Pongratz recorded a match high 23 digs and MacKenzie Melton was in on seven of her team’s 12 blocks.

CSM overcame Habegger’s big night and another near triple-double by freshman Tara Callahan. The Brady High School product put up a stat line of 31 assists, 11 digs and nine kills. Emmie Noyd also swatted nine kills to go along with six blocks from the middle. Freshman libero topped Concordia with 17 digs.

The Bulldogs will make a return to Walz Arena on Saturday when they are set to host Briar Cliff (11-4, 2-4 GPAC) at 5 p.m. CT. The Chargers have dropped each of their last four matches after jumping out to an 11-0 start. In last season’s only meeting between the two sides, Concordia defeated Briar Cliff, 25-20, 29-27, 29-27.

Concordia suffers home setback

SEWARD, Neb. – Nothing seems to breaking right for the Concordia University volleyball team at the moment. Despite taking the first set on Saturday evening, the Bulldogs eventually tasted defeat once again, 18-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-17, this time at the hands of visiting Briar Cliff.

This hasn’t been the type of season Concordia dreamt up over the offseason. Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad has slumped to 5-13 overall and to 0-8 in conference play.

“They’re frustrated no doubt about it,” Mattera said. “They’re hurting, but they haven’t turned on each other in any way. They’re still working hard. It’s the mark of some really good young people. There are an awful lot of teams that would break down. Our girls haven’t at all. I love them for it. It’s still fun to come to the gym every day for practice.”

Mattera has continued to tweak with his configurations on the court. The Bulldogs have tried to make full use of freshman Tara Callahan’s skillset, allowing her to see time on the right side. She hammered eight kills and tossed up 37 assists versus Briar Cliff. Fellow rookie Anna Lund has been playing more frequently on the outside and freshman Marissa Hoerman took over the libero role this week.

With such youth, Concordia is hoping to grow up in a hurry while competing against a grueling conference schedule. The Chargers (12-4, 3-4 GPAC) appear a bit more seasoned at this point. Briar Cliff took No. 6 Dordt to five sets earlier this week. It got the job done in four sets on Saturday thanks in large part to the power play of Keely Woods. She slammed a match high 19 kills on 31 swings. Teammate Emily Sanburg swatted 13 kills. The Chargers outhit the Bulldogs, .238 to .224.

Six Concordia players ranged from seven to 10 kills. Senior middle Annie Friesen led the way with 10 kills. Emmie Noyd added nine kills and four blocks. Jenna Eller topped the team with 14 digs.

The Bulldogs will wait until Friday (Oct. 6) to get back on the court. Concordia will host No. 15 Doane (10-9, 2-5 GPAC) at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs hope to avenge a four-set loss suffered in Crete on Sept. 13.

“I told them, ‘Doane on Friday night sure would be a nice win to turn this thing around,’” Mattera said. “All of them smiled and had this hungry look in their eyes. They haven’t given up at all.”

Rival Doane to visit Walz Friday

SEWARD, Neb. – A home win over 23rd-ranked Doane on Friday would make a big difference in Concordia’s hopes of a late-season run and postseason berth. The struggles experienced through the first 18 matches of the season have the Bulldogs re-evaluating their goals. They’re pressing the reset button. The way they see it, a new season starts Friday when the Tigers visit Walz Arena for a 7:30 p.m. CT first serve.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad is thirsting for a positive result while still in search of its first GPAC victory.

Said Mattera after last week’s loss to Briar Cliff, "I told them, 'Doane on Friday night sure would be a nice win to turn this thing around.’ All of them smiled and had this hungry look in their eyes. They haven’t given up at all.”

Mattera has tinkered with his on-court configurations in recent matches as he continues to seek the right combinations. On many occasions, three freshmen have been part of that mix. Rookie Tara Callahan has been a fixture all season long at setter. Meanwhile, fellow freshmen defensive specialist Marissa Hoerman and middle/outside hitter Anna Lund have seen their playing time increase. The hope is that they are about to hit their stride. Callahan has hinted at future stardom many times.

At this point, the pin hitter positions are question marks that weren’t necessarily anticipated at the start of the season. An important piece both offensively and defensively, sophomore Alex La Plant tops Concordia with 173 kills. Additional offensive punch is needed for a squad ranked ninth in the conference in hitting percentage (.181). As a comparison, the 2015 national tournament qualifying Bulldogs hit .226. Sophomore middle Emmie Noyd has been the team’s most efficient attacker. She possess a .285 hitting percentage and 101 kills.

Doane (11-9, 2-5 GPAC) fell eight spots in this week’s top 25 poll. The Tigers experienced a run of tough luck before claiming back-to-back home wins over Mount Marty and College of Saint Mary. In their previous four matches, all defeats, Doane fell three times in five-set contests against top 25 foes. Outside hitter Allison Kuenle ranks 25th nationally with 261 kills on the year.

Friday’s match will be aired on 104.9 Max Country and will be shown simultaneously on the Concordia Sports Network. Frank Greene will again call the action.

Next week will offer up two significant challenges with road trips coming up at No. 4 Hastings (15-1, 7-1 GPAC) on Oct. 11 and at No. 3 Northwestern (20-1, 7-0 GPAC) on Oct. 14. The Bulldogs have fallen at home to both squads this season.

GPAC win eludes Concordia in home tussle

SEWARD, Neb. – That elusive conference victory has been put on hold for at least five more days for the Concordia University volleyball team. Its eighth match this season against a nationally-ranked opponent went the same as the first seven. No. 23 Doane left Walz Arena with a 25-21, 25-18, 25-22 victory on Friday evening.

An extended drought has slumped the records of sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad to 5-14 overall and to 0-9 in league play. On this night, there were moments that provided glimmers of hope. Mattera is hoping to bottle them up.

“A new season started on Monday,” Mattera said. “We’ve got a whole new mindset. All of our goals are still ahead of us even though we dropped tonight. There were some really good things. Our offense was really clicking when we serve received. We need just a little bit more discipline, but there were a lot of really good things.”

One of the bright spots for the Bulldogs on jersey night at Walz was junior Jenna Habegger. Her ninth kill of the evening gave Concordia a 4-0 lead out of the chute in the third set. Those positive vibes were short lived. The Tigers (12-9, 4-5 GPAC) responded by rattling off the next six points on their way to making it an early night. Doane outhit the Bulldogs, .294 to .229.

The Bulldogs tried to make it work while playing a bit short handed in the back row. Mattera was forced to shuffle the deck once again due to libero Marissa Hoerman being sidelined by injury. Sophomore Harlie Himmelberg wore the pink jersey on Friday and produced 14 digs. Concordia had just one fewer dig (38-37) than the visitors from Crete.

“Jenna Eller hasn’t played middle back in a long time and we put her in that position,” Mattera said. “Alex (La Plant) and Courtney (Jurgens) played middle back for the first time in a long time and did pretty well. And it was Harlie’s first time in the libero jersey. Fourteen digs. We’ll take that out of her. There’s a lot to like on this but when you watch the video, there’s going to be a lot of crucial mistakes at crucial times.”

Allison Kuenle paced the Tigers with 14 kills on 31 swings. Match highs were turned in by teammates Alex Neff (35 assists) and Erin Warren (17 digs). Doane has now won three matches in a row.

Habegger and Anna Lund equaled a team high with 10 kills apiece while La Plant floored eight kills. Freshman Tara Callahan contributed 33 assists. Sophomore Emmie Noyd was in on all four of the team’s blocks.

The Bulldogs will have the remainder of the weekend off before next week’s grueling pair of road trips. Next up, Concordia will be at No. 4 Hastings (15-1, 7-1 GPAC) on Wednesday (Oct. 11) for a 7:30 p.m. CT match. The two sides met inside Walz Arena back on Sept. 20 in a contest that resulted in a straight sets win for the Broncos.

Trips to GPAC's top-two rated teams next on docket

SEWARD, Neb. – A road win over a team like Hastings or Northwestern would do a lot to lift the spirits of a Concordia University volleyball team still hunting for its first conference victory of 2017. Such opportunities await the Bulldogs this week as they aim to avenge home losses to the fourth-ranked Broncos and third-ranked Red Raiders. Concordia has gotten used to playing ranked teams. Nine of its 14 losses have come against teams that were either ranked or receiving votes at the time the matches occurred.

This week’s schedule
Wednesday, Oct. 11 at No. 4 Hastings (16-1, 8-1 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 14 at No. 3 Northwestern (21-1, 8-0 GPAC)

Though the Bulldogs (5-14, 0-9 GPAC) dropped six of seven sets when they played Northwestern and Hastings back-to-back in mid-September, four of those set losses came by two points. The closest Concordia has come to knocking off a ranked team happened back on Aug. 30 when it had three different match point opportunities before falling to No. 20 Bellevue University in five sets. In terms of quality wins, the Bulldogs boast a pair of victories over NCAA Division II squads.

The youth movement continues within the program. Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera and his staff believe that freshman Anna Lund can be a part of a revival down the stretch. One of the team’s top overall athletes, Lund has taken on more responsibilities on the outside in recent action. She put down 10 kills against Doane. It marked the third time this season she has recorded double digits in kills. The native of Rochester, Minn., has dropped 66 kills this season.

Concordia has also put a lot of trust in fellow rookies Tara Callahan (8.8 assists/set) and Marissa Hoerman (123 digs) and sophomores Alex La Plant (2.6 kills/set) and Emmie Noyd (team best .276 hitting percentage). The Bulldogs hope Hoerman can soon return from injury.  Hoerman sat out last week’s straight sets home defeat to No. 23 Doane. In her place, sophomore Harlie Himmelberg filled the libero role.

Hastings was knocked off its perch atop the national rankings after it lost in five sets against Northwestern on Sept. 30. The defending national champions remain a serious player in the race for a conference title. They possess one of the GPAC’s best and most versatile players in Katie Placke, who is hitting .377 while also averaging 5.4 assists per set. The Broncos sport national rankings of second in blocks per set (2.9), 12th in hitting percentage (.250) and 30th in kills per game (13.1).

Northwestern features an even more powerful attack with impressive national rankings of third in hitting percentage (.327) and third in kills per game (14.4). The ringleader behind that firepower is middle Anna Kiel, who scorched Concordia with 19 kills in the season’s first meeting on Sept. 16. After finishing 18-17 overall last season, the Red Raiders have moved back into the elite category under the direction of head coach Kyle Van Den Bosch.

Wednesday’s match at Hastings will be carried on 104.9 Max Country with Frank Greene on the call. Both of this week’s contests can be viewed live via Stretch Internet (Hastings webcast | Northwestern webcast).

Following this week, the Bulldogs will get cozy at home with four matches in a row set to take place inside Walz Arena. The home stand begins with College of Saint Mary on Oct. 18 in what will be a pink out match.

Broncos turn away Bulldog attack

HASTINGS, Neb. – Defending national champion and fourth-ranked Hastings set the tone on Wednesday night by hitting .500 in the opening set. The visiting Concordia University volleyball team got better as the match wore on, but the Bulldogs had to be at their best to take down the Broncos on the road. Hastings (17-1, 9-1 GPAC) remained in the hunt for another GPAC regular-season title with a 25-10, 25-14, 25-19 victory.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad slipped to 5-15 overall and to 0-10 in the conference. A long stretch of home matches looms following this weekend.

“That was certainly national championship form by Hastings tonight,” Mattera said. “They were serving bullets and controlled the ball extremely well and every time we started getting some momentum, we'd catch a bad break or they would make a spectacular play. I was really proud of our fight in game three. We could have rolled over after what happened in one and two, but we didn't. There was some really good volleyball by both sides in the third. We can absolutely build on that and come out swinging on Saturday in Orange City.”

Mattera wasn’t joking about that Broncos serve game. Hastings pelted the floorboards with 15 aces and made it difficult for the Bulldogs to get into any sort of offensive rhythm. Jill Bax served eight aces by herself. That worked helped overcome just a so-so night for star Katie Placke, who totaled five kills and hit .167.

No individuals stood out from a statistical standpoint for Concordia. Sophomore Alex La Plant put down a team best six kills and freshman Anna Lund added five. Freshman Marissa Hoerman gave it a go after missing last week’s match with Doane. She shared a team high of six digs with Tara Callahan and Jenna Eller.

Another treacherous road trip awaits on Saturday. The Bulldogs will head to Orange City, Iowa, for a rematch with third-ranked Northwestern (21-2, 8-1 GPAC), which fell in four sets at No. 7 Dordt on Wednesday. Saturday’s match is set for a 3 p.m. CT first serve. Concordia won at Northwestern as recently as 2015. The Red Raiders, Defenders and Broncos all have just one loss apiece at the top of the league standings.

Concordia falls at No. 3 Northwestern

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – In the hunt for a conference title, third-ranked Northwestern hit .363 overall and a blistering .480 in the third set of Saturday afternoon’s tilt with the visiting Concordia University volleyball team. The Bulldogs hit in the red and fell, 25-23, 25-14, 25-12, in Orange City, Iowa.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad is starving for a victory. Concordia has slipped to 5-16 overall and to 0-11 in conference play.

“We came out and played really hard in the first,” Mattera said. “Our sped-up offense gave them pause for a bit but they made a couple plays down the stretch to hold on. We certainly didn't give them that one. Game two was a battle and was way closer than the score made it look. Unfortunately, in game three we had some passing breakdowns and they caught fire from the serve line.”

Few teams possess the firepower of the Red Raiders (22-2, 9-1 GPAC). Concordia got burned by the likes of Lauryn Hilger (13 kills), Anna Kiel (nine kills), AJ Horstman (eight kills) and Makenzie Fink (six kills). Each one hit better than .300. On the flip side, Northwestern excelled defensively as well. It out-blocked the Bulldogs, 9-3, and enjoyed a 38-29 advantage in digs.

Sophomore Emmie Noyd was by far Concordia’s most efficient attacker. She put down four kills, but had just seven hitting opportunities. Junior Jenna Habegger led the team with six kills while freshman Anna Lund added five. Tara Callahan lofted up 17 assists. Jenna Eller paced the Bulldogs with eight digs.

Concordia has shown moments of brilliance. The young team is lacking the consistency to knock off a top-rated team like the Red Raiders.

“We just couldn't get the ball to our middles enough and that really hurt, Mattera said. “I'm happy with some things we showed today that are direct improvements on things from practice. We had kind of hit a plateau improvement wise but really felt there was progress shown today. We've got great girls and they are bought in together and working hard. We can still make the (GPAC) tourney along with some other second half goals and we are going to go hard after.”

A four-match home stand is up next for the Bulldogs. That stretch begins on Wednesday when Concordia welcomes College of Saint Mary (8-13, 1-9 GPAC) to Walz Arena for 7 p.m. CT first serve. It will be a pink out in awareness of those with breast cancer.

Home stand begins with pink out match on Wednesday

SEWARD, Neb. – With five of its final six regular-season matches set to take place inside Walz Arena, the Concordia University volleyball team will have its opportunity to make a postseason push without leaving home. This week presents three opportunities for the Bulldogs to claim their first GPAC victory of 2017. Up next is Wednesday’s (Oct. 18) pink-out match that will feature Concordia hosting College of Saint Mary at 7 p.m. CT.

This week’s schedule
Wednesday, Oct. 18 vs. College of Saint Mary (8-13, 1-9 GPAC)
Friday, Oct. 20 vs. Dakota Wesleyan (14-14, 1-9 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. vs. Mount Marty (8-13, 1-10 GPAC)

The good news for sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad is that it will play each of the three teams directly in front of it in the GPAC standings. A clean sweep this week would put the Bulldogs in the driver’s seat for the No. 8 seed in the GPAC tournament set to begin with the quarterfinals on Nov. 4. To this point, the Bulldogs have struggled to claim wins while up against a schedule that Massey Ratings currently ranks as the 10th toughest in the NAIA. Concordia has gone up against 10 nationally-ranked teams (five in the top 10), two ‘receiving votes’ squads and three opponents from NCAA Division II.

The hope is that the growing pains will soon come to an end for a youthful roster. A late-season run of success could help spring the young Bulldogs into 2018. Many key roles are being held down by freshmen and sophomores. The team leader in kills is a sophomore in Alex La Plant (190). The team leader in assists is a freshman in Tara Callahan (650). While the digs leader is a senior in Jocelyn Garcia (214), three first- or second-year players have collected more than 100 digs: freshmen Marissa Hoerman (133) and Callahan (125) and sophomore Emma Brand (125).

This week’s opponents each own one GPAC victory apiece. Dakota Wesleyan won at Mount Marty in five sets on Sept. 5. Mount Marty took care of College of Saint Mary in Yankton, S.D., in four sets on Sept. 22. College of Saint Mary held off Concordia in five sets in Omaha on Sept. 27. The Bulldogs will face two of the conference’s top attackers in terms of kills per set: Dakota Wesleyan’s Rebecca Frick (4.0) and College of Saint Mary’s Dani Carlson (3.5).

All three of this week’s home matches will be shown live via theConcordia Sports Network. Radio coverage for Wednesday’s match will be provided by 104.9 Max Country with Frank Greene on the call.

In next week’s action, Concordia is slated to host Grace University on Oct. 24 before returning to conference play with a trip to Briar Cliff on Oct. 28.

Noyd stars in first GPAC win of 2017

SEWARD, Neb. – It was a long time coming, but the Concordia University volleyball team is on the board in conference play. The Bulldogs are hoping a three-match week at home will be just the right medicine. The home stand began on Wednesday night (Oct. 18) with a 25-13, 25-22, 23-25, 25-22 win over visiting College of Saint Mary, avenging a five-set loss at the Flames’ home court back on Sept. 27.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad really needed this one if it wanted to maintain hopes of qualifying for the eight-team GPAC tournament. Concordia has moved to 6-16 overall and to 1-11 in conference play.

“I’m proud of them. I’m happy for us,” Mattera said. “That’s what we’re supposed to do. There’s some really good stuff in here. We have to clean up a couple things. I thought the speed when we connected looked really good. You can see how much faster we’re going to the pins. We felt like we should have finished it in three.”

Good things happen for the Bulldogs when they set the ball in the middle, where sophomore Emmie Noyd resides. With greater opportunities, Noyd looked more like the budding star she appeared to be earlier this season when she collected all-invitational honors at a weekend event hosted by Missouri Valley College. The Shelby, Neb., native slammed 13 kills on 31 swings on Wednesday.

This was the best Concordia’s looked from an offensive perspective in some time. Noyd and company hope this just a start in returning good vibes back to the program.

“This was really important,” Noyd said. “We’ve been working so hard throughout this whole season even though we’ve been coming up short in a lot of games. It’s a relief. We want to push forward. We want more.”

Noyd and three other Bulldogs reached double figures in kills. She was joined by sophomore Alex La Plant (12), freshman Anna Lund (12) and junior Jenna Habegger (11). Collectively, Concordia outhit the Flames, .185 to .090. Noyd didn’t just produce big offensively, she also was in on six of the team’s 12 blocks.

One of the most prolific attackers in the GPAC in terms of kills per set, Dani Carlson topped all players with 15 kills. However, it took her 44 attempts (10 errors) to get there. For College of Saint Mary (8-14, 1-10 GPAC), its only GPAC win remains the one it captured over the Bulldogs.

On a night Concordia touted as its “pink match” in awareness of breast cancer, Marissa Hoerman donned the pink libero jersey and equaled Tara Callahan’s team best 17 digs. Callahan also floated up 41 assists. Callahan is a big part of the present and the future.

“She’s really stepping up with her lead role,” Noyd said. “It’s awesome to see her as a freshman leading the team like that. In practice we’ve really been working on pushing our sets faster and new offenses. She’s awesome about working hard and wanting to get the connections right.”

A three-home-matches-in-four-days stretch continues this weekend for the Bulldogs. Concordia will welcome Dakota Wesleyan (15-14, 2-9 GPAC) for a 7:30 p.m. CT Friday matchup to be contested inside Walz Arena. The Tigers are coming off a four-set home win over Mount Marty on Tuesday.

Freshmen star in second-straight GPAC win

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University volleyball team is two-thirds of the way there in its mission to sweep all three of this week’s conference home matches. Two days after putting away College of Saint Mary in four sets, the Bulldogs took care of visiting Dakota Wesleyan in straight sets, 25-16, 26-17, 25-17, inside Walz Arena on Friday evening.

Two wins in a row have moved the records of sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad to 7-16 overall and to 2-11 in conference play. Concordia remains in the running for a top eight placement required to reach the GPAC tournament.

“That was the most consistent match we’ve played all year,” Mattera said. “And we did it in a variety of ways. Our blocking was good. Our defense was good. Our serve and serve receive was really good. We had them out of system all night. That’s the team we need to be. Forty-eight kills in three games. That’s pretty solid.”

At this point in the season, it’s time for the freshmen to no longer look like freshmen. The most eye-popping individual numbers of the night were turned in by rookies Tara Callahan and Marissa Hoerman. Callahan orchestrated the offense in symphonic fashion, lofting up 45 assists for an attack that pounded down 20 more kills than the visitors. Meanwhile, Hoerman didn’t show much regard for Tiger hitters, digging up a career high 23 attacks.

Sophomore middle Emmie Noyd also continued what’s been a monster week. She swatted 11 kills on 21 swings without a single error while also getting in on five of the team’s eight blocks. On the outsides, Alex La Plant turned in 14 kills and Jenna Habbegger pasted 12 kills. Both La Plant and Habegger hit exactly .303. That’ll do every time out.

“We started speeding up our offense, making the pin sets faster,” Callahan said. “That’s beating a lot of other peoples’ defenses.”

Concordia’s attack really got going after the opening set. The Bulldogs pummeled 20 kills and hit .347 in the second game. They also hit .361 in set No. 3 while snuffing out any hopes the Tigers (15-15, 2-10 GPAC) had of a rally. Dakota Wesleyan’s top hitter, Rebecca Frick (12 kills), was held to .163 hitting. As a team, the Tigers hit .083 while struggling to find any open space with Hoerman roaming in the back.

“Today we were actually working on two different defensive systems,” Hoerman said. “I had Coach in my ear the whole time making sure I was in the right spot. I think we actually let a lot of balls drop that we shouldn’t have. I think the key was staying disciplined in the system that we were running.”

Concordia and Dakota Wesleyan are neck-and-neck for the eighth and final spot in the conference tournament, magnifying the importance of Friday night’s matchup. The Bulldogs are not where they envisioned themselves being back in the preseason, but a postseason berth would provide a degree of salvation for the 2017 season.

“It would be the complete opposite feeling of what we were for the last month,” Hoerman said. “For me never having done that before, it would be really incredible. I’d love to see the team do something cool like that this year because we have the potential. We hang with the top teams. That’s been said a million times. I think the key lately is we’ve just been doing our jobs.”

The Bulldogs will continue their home stand on Saturday when they host Mount Marty (8-14, 1-11 GPAC) at 3 p.m. CT. It will be the first and only meeting of the season between the two sides. The lone Lancer win inside the conference came Sept. 22 when they topped College of Saint Mary in four sets. Concordia will honor its four seniors on Saturday.

Bulldogs honor seniors with straight-sets win over Mount Marty

SEWARD, Neb. – On an afternoon when the Concordia University volleyball team celebrated the careers of four seniors, it also finished off a perfect 3-0 week at home. Despite a bit of a slow start, the Bulldogs took care of visiting Mount Marty, 27-25, 25-19, 25-14 inside Walz Arena on Saturday (Oct. 21). Sophomore Emmie Noyd polished off a big week individually with 10 more kills.

Three-straight wins have put sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad into eighth place in the conference standings. Now 8-16 overall and 3-11 in conference play, Concordia hopes to remain inside the top eight in order to secure a spot in the GPAC tournament.

“You can start to see some of the stuff that’s coming,” Mattera said. “The pace to the outside really wasn’t connecting particularly well, but we started getting it right towards the third game. When we’re connecting we’re going to be really dangerous. That’s something we’re still working on. That’s something that’s a long process to really be consistent with.”

Over this week’s wins over College of Saint Mary, Dakota Wesleyan and Mount Marty, Noyd posted kill totals of 13, 11 and 10, respectively, while hitting better than .400 in each match. She hit .444 on Saturday, helping lead her side to a hitting percentage edge of .245 to .106.

Three other Bulldogs recorded six or more kills: junior Jenna Habegger (seven), senior Annie Friesen (six) and freshman Anna Lund (six). Friesen has collected 544 career kills and was a first team all-conference performer as a sophomore when the 2015 team reached the national tournament. Friesen is hoping to see her career extend into the postseason.

“It definitely feels good to get these three, but we want more,” Friesen said. “We have Grace coming up on Tuesday. Briar Cliff next weekend and we’re ready for a battle against Midland. We’re going to battle in the tournament. It’s going to be fun.”

Freshman Tara Callahan ended an extended rally in the opening set when she perfectly placed a kill. Concordia held off the Lancers (8-15, 1-12 GPAC) in that opening set despite six kills apiece from Laura Cattle and Rachel Reiff during that stretch. Concordia operated most efficiently in the third set, hitting .370 to put the match on ice.

The hope is that this week will carry the Bulldogs to a strong finish. Though there have been some trying times this season, Mattera has found reward in the process of growing a youthful squad.

“When you look at the record, it’s easy to say tough year,” Mattera said. “It’s actually been a really fun year. Nobody likes losing. We’re frustrated about the results, but this has been an incredible group to coach. Even during the losing streak, they were so much fun and ready to go. I’m proud of this group. I love coaching this team.”

Callahan finished with 31 assists, six digs and four kills. Freshman Marissa Hoerman topped the team with nine digs. On the other side of the net, Reiff paced Mount Marty with 11 kills. The lone Lancer GPAC victory came over College of Saint Mary.

Three matches remain on the regular-season schedule for the Bulldogs, who will complete a run of four-straight home contests on Tuesday (Oct. 24) when Grace University (6-18) pays a visit to Walz Arena. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT. It will be the final nonconference match of the season for Concordia, which has a record of 5-5 outside of GPAC competition.

Callahan tabbed GPAC setter of the week

GPAC release

SEWARD, Neb. – Coming off a perfect 3-0 week, the Concordia University volleyball team saw one of its own collect a conference weekly award on Tuesday (Oct. 24). The conference named freshman Tara Callahan the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Volleyball Setter of the Week. Callahan is the first Bulldog to garner recognition from the GPAC this fall.

Callahan has taken ownership of the setter role in her first collegiate season. She shined last week while leading Concordia to wins over College of Saint Mary, Dakota Wesleyan and Mount Marty. For the week, the Brady, Neb., native totaled 117 assists over 10 sets. She also added 26 digs, 10 kills, five blocks and three aces. A first team all-state performer at Brady High School, Callahan is averaging 8.9 assists per set and has racked up 82 kills.

The Bulldogs (8-16, 3-11 GPAC) will play their fourth-straight match at home tonight (Oct. 24) when they host Grace University. First serve is set for 7 p.m. CT. Concordia hopes to cement the No. 8 seed for the GPAC tournament that will begin with the quarterfinals on Saturday, Nov. 4.

Callahan sparkles in swift home victory

SEWARD, Neb. – Visiting Grace University entered Tuesday’s tilt having already made one GPAC opponent a victim. The Concordia University volleyball team would not be another. The Bulldogs held the Royals to a .023 hitting percentage and walked away a winner in straight sets, 25-16, 25-20, 25-16, while competing inside Walz Arena.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad has built some late-season momentum with four-straight wins, all at home. Concordia has moved to 9-16 overall. It went 6-5 against nonconference foes in 2017.

“We accomplished what we wanted to accomplish,” Mattera said. “We tried some new stuff. We put in a couple of wrinkles that we wanted to try. Put some kids in some different positions and got some kids some playing time. Credit Grace. They did some really good things. They played some good defense. Their serve receive was solid, which put them in system, and they were pretty crafty at the net.”

The dip outside of conference play allowed Mattera to spread opportunities around. Sophomore Alex La Plant set the tone early with some big swings from the outside. More impressively, Grace couldn’t gain any traction on the attack, posting seven errors to only four kills in the first set. The Royals (6-21) managed just 21 kills to Concordia’s 44.

No Bulldog player got more playing time than GPAC setter of the week Tara Callahan. She’s coming of age down the stretch for Concordia. Grace really had no answer for the 6-foot-1 product of Brady High School. She posted match highs of 33 assists and 11 kills (15 attempts) while backing up the conference weekly award she earned earlier in the day.

“It means a lot, especially as a freshman,” Callahan said. “I never expected that so that was really cool.”

Ten different Bulldogs had at least one dig and eight offered up at least one kill on the evening. From the middle, Emmie Noyd pasted eight kills while Jenna Habegger and La Plant added seven apiece. Sophomore Jenna Eller paced the team with 10 digs. Concordia owned a 9-3 advantage in blocks, thanks in large part to Anna Lund (four block assists, one solo block), Habegger (four block assists) and Noyd (four block assists).

Grace beat College of Saint Mary in four sets way back on Aug. 30. The Royals were led on Tuesday by five kills apiece from Aaliyah Dunbar, Kara Peters and Marissa Waddel.

The final two matches of the regular season will both come against GPAC opponents. Still hoping to lock down the No. 8 seed in the conference tournament, the Bulldogs will travel to Briar Cliff (16-7, 6-7 GPAC) for a 3 p.m. CT match on Saturday. In this season’s first meeting between the two sides, the Chargers topped Concordia in four sets in Seward.

In many ways, Tuesday night served as an appetizer for what’s to come over the next week-and-a-half. Said Mattera, “We’re hungry for a win. One of our goals in this ‘second season’ that we talked about is avenging losses. We have a chance to avenge a loss at Briar Cliff and really lock the door on getting into the tournament.”

Bulldogs take four-match win streak to Briar Cliff

SEWARD, Neb. – After a successful four-match home stand, the Concordia University volleyball team will be on the road on Saturday, hoping to claim a victory at Briar Cliff. First serve of Saturday’s varsity match is set for 3 p.m. CT from the Newman Flanagan Center in Sioux City, Iowa. The Bulldogs will attempt to avenge a four-set home defeat to the Chargers on Sept. 30. Saturday’s match can be viewed live via Briar Cliff’s Stretch Internet portal.

A road test within the conference will provide another barometer of just how much sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad has grown in recent weeks. Concordia (9-16, 3-11 GPAC) has dominated during its active win streak, claiming wins over College of Saint Mary, Dakota Wesleyan, Mount Marty and Grace University. Following the first three of those four triumphs, freshman Tara Callahan earned GPAC setter of the week accolades. In Tuesday’s win, the Royals had no answer for Callahan, who went for 33 assists and 11 kills.

Many of Callahan’s assists during the win streak have resulted in kills for sophomore middle Emmie Noyd. Concordia is more likely to have success when it finds Noyd in the middle. She’s hit .385 or better in each of the last five matches, boosting her season hitting percentage to .314. The native of Shelby, Neb., racked up 34 kills and made just two errors over the past three GPAC victories. Noyd is one of six Bulldogs with at least 100 kills on the year. The team leader is sophomore Alex La Plant (227).

Briar Cliff (17-7, 7-7 GPAC) has been much like Concordia in the way that it has struggled to get over the hump against the GPAC’s top teams. Each of the Chargers’ seven GPAC wins have come against the squads residing in the bottom four of the GPAC standings. The team’s most prolific hitter is Courtney Schafer, who has piled up 267 kills (3.3 per set). As a team, Briar Cliff sports national rankings of 31st in kills per set (13.1), 32nd in blocks per set (2.1) and 41st in hitting percentage (.212).

The Chargers have already clinched a spot in the GPAC tournament. They will be seeded anywhere from fifth to seventh, pending results over the next five days. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are aiming to secure the No. 8 seed. One more victory would lock Concordia into the postseason.

Regular-season action will conclude on Wednesday (Nov. 1) when the Bulldogs host No. 9 Midland (17-7, 10-4 GPAC). The quarterfinal round of the conference tournament on Saturday, Nov. 4. Additional dates for the GPAC tournament are Nov. 8 for the semifinals and Nov. 11 for the championship.

Hoerman stars in defeat at Briar Cliff

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Another road opportunity slipped through the fingers of the Concordia University volleyball team on Saturday (Oct. 28) afternoon. The Bulldogs let a chance to keep the match alive get away from them in the third set and fell at Briar Cliff, 25-21, 25-21, 25-21. The defeat ended a string of four-straight victories for Concordia.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad sits at 9-17 overall and at 3-12 in conference play with one match remaining in the regular season. The Bulldogs are currently tied for eighth place in the GPAC standings.

“That was a good volleyball match between two pretty evenly matched teams,” Mattera said. “They just played a touch better and really stepped up their block when it mattered most.  There were so many ups and downs and both teams scrapped pretty hard. We were right there just need to keep growing and improving. I love this team and what it's capable of. I can't wait to get in the gym Monday and Tuesday to get ready for Midland.”

Junior Jenna Habegger got off to a hot start with five kills in the opening set, but the host Chargers (18-7, 8-7 GPAC) hit .325 during that stretch. Briar Cliff cooled off over the final two sets while dealing with Concordia defensive specialist Marissa Hoerman (match high 20 digs). Defensively for the Chargers, Kiya Alderson (seven blocks) led a front row that out-blocked the Bulldogs, 12-4.

Habegger ended up topping Concordia with nine kills. Sophomore middle Emmie Noyd added seven kills and freshman setter Tara Callahan put up 26 assists, six kills and four digs. The Bulldogs were outhit, .223 to .130. Briar Cliff’s attack was led by Toni Beck (10 kills on 26 attacks).

The Chargers will be seeded anywhere from fifth through seventh in the GPAC tournament, depending upon how the regular-season concludes. On the other hand, Concordia needs a win or a Dakota Wesleyan loss to Morningside next week in order to clinch the No. 8 seed in the postseason.

The regular-season finale is set for Wednesday (Nov. 1) when ninth-ranked Midland (17-7, 10-4 GPAC) is slated to make a visit to Walz Arena. First serve of the varsity match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. The two teams met in Fremont for the conference opener back on Sept. 6 with the result being a straight sets win for the Warriors. The Bulldogs have gone 8-7 at home this season.

Bulldogs host No. 9 Midland with hopes of extending season

SEWARD, Neb. – By the end of the day on Wednesday, the Concordia University volleyball team will have learned whether its season will extend into the GPAC tournament. The final day of the regular season will provide the Bulldogs another opportunity for a potential building block victory. Concordia will welcome No. 9 Midland to Walz Arena for a 7:30 p.m. CT first serve on Wednesday.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad can clinch the GPAC’s No. 8 seed with a win or a Dakota Wesleyan loss to No. 20 Morningside on Wednesday. The Bulldogs (9-17, 3-12 GPAC) have qualified for the postseason each season under Mattera.

In order for Concordia to reach double figures in wins, it’s going to have to figure out how to defeat a highly rated opponent either on Wednesday or in this weekend’s conference quarterfinals. The Bulldogs enter the week having won four in a row inside Walz Arena. The late push was crucial to Concordia’s chances of a GPAC tournament berth. The conference wins came over Dakota Wesleyan, Mount Marty and College of Saint Mary.

Freshman setter Tara Callahan continues to raise her level of play. Named the GPAC setter of the week on Oct. 24, the Brady, Neb., native just missed a career high with her 11 kills (on 15 swings) in the victory over Grace University last week . She also tossed up 33 assists on the same day she received the GPAC honor. Callahan then added 26 assists and six kills at Briar Cliff on Oct. 28. She has racked up 826 assists and 99 kills over 92 sets this season.

Callahan should soon become the seventh Bulldog to eclipse 100 kills in 2017. Sophomore Alex La Plant paces the team with 232 kills. Last week junior Jenna Habegger (206 kills) also went past the 200-kill barrier. Other teammates with at least 100 kills are sophomore Emmie Noyd (160), junior Kelsey Baarck (137), senior Annie Friesen (107) and freshman Anna Lund (103).

Meanwhile, Midland (17-8, 10-5 GPAC) continues to place itself among the elite teams in the GPAC. Though it has dropped three in a row, those losses all came against teams ranked sixth or better in the national poll. The Warriors boast one of the conference’s top players in middle Priscilla O’Dowd, who is hitting .394 with 319 kills and 95 blocks. Midland has already locked itself into the No. 4 seed for the GPAC tournament.

Wednesday’s match will be shown live via the Concordia Sports Network. Should the Bulldogs claim a spot in the GPAC tournament, they would likely be headed to Hastings (22-1, 14-1 GPAC) on Saturday for one of four quarterfinal matches.

Bulldogs fall to No. 11 Midland, look ahead to postseason

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University volleyball team appears to be creeping closer, but it’s possible we may have to wait until 2018 to see the fruits of its labor. In another tussle with a ranked opponent, the Bulldogs played at home for the final time and fell at the hands of No. 11 Midland, 25-19, 25-23, 26-28, 25-20, on Wednesday evening.

Concordia could take some reward in knowing it edged the nationally respected Warriors program in kills (55-52). Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad ended the regular season at 9-18 overall and at 3-13 in conference play.

“We played well in the third set. We just battled,” Mattera said. “It wasn’t pretty but we just fought. We’re right there. That fourth game was pretty disappointing. We made a lot of unforced errors. We won the third set and realized it’s possible to win and we got scared.”

Despite the struggles in the won-lost column this season, the Dawgs showed they still have fight left in them during a second set that saw them fall behind 19-11. With sophomore Alex La Plant bombing away on the outside, Concordia nearly came all the way back, getting within 24-23 before arch villain Priscilla O’Dowd pulverized set point.

The third set could have also gone either way. If you ask any member of the Bulldogs, it was about time something went there way. Concordia responded, even in the face of two match point opportunities for the Warriors, and even after O’Dowd threatened to make it an early night. Trailing 26-25, the Bulldogs used an Emmie Noyd kill, Midland attack error and a La Plant kill to remain alive.

One of the best players in the nation, O’Dowd just wasn’t interested in letting the Bulldogs have nice things. In a not so atypical outing, the Omaha native swatted 20 kills and blocked seven attacks. The Warriors owned an 11-6 advantage in blocks and a .182 to .135 edge in hitting percentage.

The closest thing Concordia had to O’Dowd was Noyd, who finished with a team high 12 kills and hit .364. Jenna Habegger (10 kills) and La Plant (10 kills) also reached double figures in kills. Meanwhile, Jenna Eller (14 digs) and Marissa Hoerman (13 digs) led the defensive effort.

One wrinkle the Bulldogs did implement was a strategy to make use of Eller’s diverse abilities in the back row. She attacked 10 times and dropped in three kills. Concordia had attack opportunities (171-154) than did the visitors from Fremont.

Midland (18-8, 11-5 GPAC) got 27 digs from Jessica Nekl. Setter Jessica Peters equaled the 41 assists posted by Bulldog setter Tara Callahan.

Concordia will make its way into the GPAC tournament thanks to a recent run that included consecutive GPAC home wins over College of Saint Mary, Dakota Wesleyan and Mount Marty. The victory over Dakota Wesleyan gave the Bulldogs the tiebreaker for the conference’s No. 8 seed.

That leaves Concordia with the task of needing to pull an upset at top-seeded and third-ranked Hastings (22-2, 14-2 GPAC) in order to keep its season going beyond this weekend. Saturday’s match at Hastings will feature a 5 p.m. CT first serve. The winner will advance to the semifinals next Wednesday (Nov. 8).

Bulldogs to take shot at top-seeded Hastings

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University volleyball team grabbed the final spot in the GPAC tournament pairings and will now get another shot at a highly-ranked opponent. As the No. 8 seed in the bracket, the Bulldogs now brace for Saturday’s trip to top-seeded Hastings for the conference quarterfinal round. Just two years ago, eighth-seeded College of Saint Mary upset No. 1 Dordt in a GPAC quarterfinal shocker.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad has new life after finishing the regular season with records of 9-18 overall and 3-13 in conference play. A three-win stretch between Oct. 18-21 allowed Concordia to sneak into the postseason.

The Bulldogs suffered a four-set loss at fifth-ranked Midland in last season’s opening GPAC tournament match. The previous season, the 2015 Concordia team topped No. 17 Northwestern and College of Saint Mary on the way to a GPAC tournament championship appearance and a berth to the opening round of the national tournament. The Bulldogs have advanced past the quarterfinals twice under Mattera (2014 and 2015).

Mattera knows his team will have to play razor-sharp in order to extend its season beyond Saturday. The Broncos (22-2) have suffered just two losses with one coming on Wednesday night at Doane in the regular-season finale. Defending national champion Hastings boasts a GPAC player of the year candidate in Katie Placke, who averages 3.3 kills and 5.4 assists per set. She is hitting .339 this season for a Bronco squad that shared the conference regular-season title with Dordt and Northwestern.

Concordia put up a fight in its four-set home loss to 11th-ranked Midland on Wednesday. The Bulldogs nearly rallied back from a 19-11 deficit in the second set before dropping it, 25-23. Behind Emmie Noyd (12 kills), Concordia forced a fourth set though it eventually suffered yet another defeat against a ranked foe. The Bulldogs have played a top 20 schedule among NAIA teams this fall.

Concordia’s balanced attack features seven different players with more than 100 kills on the season: Alex La Plant (242), Jenna Habegger (216), Kelsey Baarck (138), Annie Friesen (113), Anna Lund (109) and Tara Callahan (103). Both Callahan and Lund are freshman. The same is true for freshman libero Marissa Hoerman, who has racked up 220 digs and has passed served receive at 93.4 percent clip.

Saturday’s match can be seed live online via Hastings’ Stretch Internet portal. The winner will advance and play either fourth-seeded Midland (18-8) or fifth-seeded Morningside (18-11) in the GPAC semifinals next Wednesday (Nov. 8).

2017 GPAC Volleyball Tournament

Saturday, Nov. 4 – Quarterfinals
No. 8 Concordia (9-18, 3-13) at No. 1 Hastings (22-2, 14-2), 5 p.m.
No. 5 Morningside (18-11, 10-6) at No. 4 Midland (18-8, 11-5), 7 p.m.
No. 6 Doane (17-11, 9-7) at No. 3 Dordt (27-5, 14-2), 7 p.m.
No. 7 Briar Cliff (18-8, 8-8) at No. 2 Northwestern (27-3, 14-2), 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 8 – Semifinals
No. 4/5 vs. No. 1/8, time TBA
No. 3/6 vs. No. 2/7, time TBA

Saturday, Nov. 11 – Championship
Time TBA

Season ends on home court of defending national champs

HASTINGS, Neb. – The 2017 campaign has come to an end. It’s one the program hopes it can look back to someday as a season of growing pains that led to bigger and better things. In Saturday’s (Nov. 4) GPAC quarterfinal tilt, the Concordia University volleyball team fell in straight sets, 25-20, 25-17, 25-17, while on the road against third-ranked Hastings, which shared the GPAC regular-season title.

Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad concluded the season with a 9-19 overall record. A young team took its lumps in the face of one of the nation’s most challenging schedules.

“Even though the scores might not look it, we battled like Bulldogs today,” Mattera said. “It was an effort that we can be proud of against a national champion who played lights out. Every point was a battle but they just eventually wore us down with consistency.”

The Broncos hit .414 in the opening set and then .433 in the second set. Sage Meyer dropped 13 kills on 31 swings for the victors who improved to 23-2 overall this season. Concordia did a solid job limiting star Katie Placke. She had eight kills and 20 assists and hit .261.

On the other side of the net, senior Annie Friesen went out with a fine performance that included a team high seven kills on nine attacks. Fellow senior Jocelyn Garcia topped the Bulldogs with 11 digs while freshman Tara Callahan added 22 assists and four kills. Concordia was outhit by Hastings, .351 to .106.

This fall’s squad featured just three seniors who regularly suited up: Friesen, Garcia and Courtney Jurgens. They contributed to a national tournament appearance in 2015. The bulk of the 2017 nucleus was made up of first- and second-year players. The expected offseason growth of a young core including standouts such as Callahan and Emmie Noyd provides hope of a rebound season in 2018.

Said Mattera, “We are going to miss this group of seniors so much, but anyone who saw us knows how bright the future of Bulldog Volleyball is. We are learning how to fight and we can't wait to get into our offseason training.”

Noyd named second team All-GPAC; two others receive honorable mention

GPAC release

SEWARD, Neb. – A trio of members from of Concordia University volleyball represented the program on the list of all-conference teams released on Wednesday (Nov. 15) by the GPAC. Sophomore Emmie Noyd rose to second team status while freshman Tara Callahan and sophomore Alex La Plant collected honorable mention accolades.

In terms of efficiency, Noyd served as the most reliable attacker for Bulldog volleyball this season. Her .308 hitting percentage ranked fourth in the GPAC and 39th nationally. She piled up 176 kills while averaged 2.2 per set from her spot in the middle. She added 72 blocks over 79 sets played in 2017. The native of Shelby, Neb., turned in a career high 16 kills at Missouri Valley College on Aug. 26 as part of a weekend when she was named to the All-Viking Invitational Team. Noyd posted double-digit kill totals in six separate matches.

Callahan, who hails from Brady, Neb., figures to be a big part of the program’s future along with La Plant and Noyd. Callahan completed her first collegiate season with 889 assists (9.0/set), 168 digs (1.7/set), 107 kills (1.1/set), 49 blocks and 21 aces. The Brady High School product accomplished a rare feat on Sept. 16 when she recorded a triple-double versus Northwestern (33 assists, 12 kills, 11 digs). She raked in the GPAC setter of the week award on Oct. 24.

La Plant topped Concordia with 247 kills, averaging 2.5 per set (T-17th among GPAC players). The native of Cypress, Texas, pummeled a career high 18 kills against then 20th-ranked Bellevue University on Aug. 30. La Plant totaled 10 kills or more 10 times this season. Over 201 career sets played, she has amassed 480 kills and 324 digs.

2017 All-GPAC

Second Team
Emmie Noyd

Honorable Mention
Tara Callahan
Alex La Plant