Concordia and College of Saint Mary will meet for the third time this season as the two sides get ready to square off in the GPAC quarterfinals. The Bulldogs are looking to reach the GPAC tournament title match for the second year in a row.
In what marked the first top five matchup ever hosted by the Bulldogs, fourth-ranked Midland defeated fifth-ranked Concordia, 25-20, 25-23, 25-23. The defeat snapped a 12-match home win streak for the Bulldogs, who finished third in the GPAC.
The fifth-ranked Bulldogs will welcome No. 4 Midland to Friedrich Arena on Tuesday for the regular season finale. Both teams are jockeying for position near the top of the league standings. The Warriors won this season's first matchup in five sets.
Concordia hit .331 and out-blocked Hastings, 13-4, while winning in straight sets in Hastings on Saturday (Oct. 29). The fifth-ranked Bulldogs earned the season sweep of the Broncos and remained in third place in the GPAC regular season standings.
This was simply the latest example of how the fifth-ranked Bulldogs zero in on every match, no matter the opponent's record. Concordia used a .315 hitting percentage and seven blocks to take care of Mount Marty in straight sets.
Facilitator for one of the nation’s top offensive teams, Bree Burtwistle has been named the GPAC and NAIA National Setter of the Week for the second time in 2022. Burtwistle racked up 78 assists over last week's two wins.
The postseason is nearing, but the sixth-ranked Bulldogs will place their focus upon matchups this week with Mount Marty and Hastings. Concordia enters the week at 10-3 in GPAC play and is tied for third in the league standings.
Known for its attacking prowess, the sixth-ranked Bulldogs used a big-time blocking performance to take out No. 13 College of Saint Mary on the road on Saturday (Oct. 22). Concordia collected 10 blocks while earning a season sweep of the Flames.
The sixth-ranked Bulldogs hit .420 on Wednesday (Oct. 20) and treated the home fans to a straight sets win over Doane. Three Concordia players reached double figures in kills and the home win streak was pushed to 11.
The sixth-ranked Bulldogs will aim for season sweeps of two opponents this week as they host Doane on Wednesday and visit CSM on Saturday. Concordia is 7-0 at home in 2022 following this past week's five-set win over No. 7 Northwestern.
A veteran and battle-tested bunch of Bulldogs picked up where they left off in the fall and enjoyed a spring of continued development. The spring season, which included a matchup with a Big Ten foe, was about preparing to 'level up' in 2023.
Four seasons of college volleyball are in the books for Bree Burtwistle and Camryn Opfer, but they aren't ready to let go. The two All-Americans will return in 2023 in pursuit of a GPAC championship Concordia Volleyball covets.
It was another season of national prominence for Concordia Volleyball, which was led by a senior class that trusted the process throughout four years. The likes of Gabi Nordaker and Camryn Opfer helped lead the Bulldogs to a No. 4 national ranking.
It's a transcendent class that has helped Concordia Volleyball reach heights it had never before seen. Collectively, the group has set a new standard while living out the program's values: love, hard work, sacrifice and trust.
Bree Burtwistle knew her time was coming. It just took some patience and persistence before she could burst onto the scene as one of the NAIA's best setters. A transfer in her third year as a Bulldog, Burt is soaking up a 2022 season of winning with her best friends.
Three-straight NAIA top 15 finishes lead the Concordia Volleyball program into a 2022 campaign that comes with high hopes. The Bulldogs believe they are primed to take things a step farther after back-to-back national quarterfinal appearances.
Camryn Opfer has continued to make a name for herself within the community she has always called home. The Seward High School alum has a habit of playing big in big moments for a Concordia Volleyball program that has grabbed the national spotlight.
In terms of the approach and the goals of the Concordia Volleyball program, not much has changed since the 2021 season ended in the national quarterfinals. The Bulldogs grew in confidence this spring while 'leaning in' in anticipation of the 2022 campaign.
In a season that came with its share of challenges, the Bulldogs never gave up while advancing to the national quarterfinals for the second season in a row. The 2021 Bulldogs earned the program's best ever final national ranking.
Four years was just not enough for Tara Callahan, who returned to the Bulldogs in 2021 to provide steady leadership and consistently excellent play on the court. Her journey has included many mountaintop moments and unshakable bonds.