Kelsey Baarck came off the bench and floored a season high 11 kills. It just wasn't enough for Concordia to claim victory. Host Dakota Wesleyan got a starring performance from Rebecca Frick and won in four sets.
The Concordia volleyball program is in the middle of a trip to the Dakotas as GPAC play continues. On the first let, the Bulldogs fell in straight sets at Jamestown on Friday (Sept. 28). They will be at Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday.
A stretch of five days without a match will end on Friday in a road match with Jamestown. The Bulldog volleyball team will also be at Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday as part of a weekend Dakota swing.
Faced with one of the nation's top hitting teams, Concordia battled hard in the first and third sets, especially. No. 15 Northwestern gave the Bulldogs another lesson in what turned into a straight-sets Concordia loss.
This was a step forward for the Concordia volleyball program, still progressing in the first season under the Boldts. The Bulldogs put pressure on 13th-ranked Hastings by winning the second set. The Broncos won in four.
The second through fourth sets were a struggle for the Concordia volleyball team, which suffered its third GPAC defeat in a row. Visiting Doane left Walz Arena with a 21-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-19, win.
Concordia has a challenging week ahead with three nationally-ranked foes coming up in a five-day stretch. The Bulldogs return to action Tuesday to host Doane before also playing Thursday and Saturday.
Led by Jenna Habegger and Emmie Noyd, the Concordia volleyball team attempted to dig out from underneath a slow start. By night's end, Morningside dealt the Bulldogs a 25-17, 25-15, 23-25, 25-23 defeat on Thursday (Sept. 13).
A valiant upset bid was thwarted in four sets by visiting and eighth-ranked Midland on Tuesday night (Sept. 11). Despite an impressive second set, the Bulldogs lost for the first time in 2018.
Two key figures instrumental in the 12-0 start for Concordia volleyball have been awarded with well-deserved honors. Both Marissa Hoerman and Emmie Noyd collected GPAC weekly recognition.
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.
Ranked seventh in the NAIA in the preseason, Concordia Volleyball is ready to follow up a national quarterfinal run this past spring. "GPAC championship level effort" is the expectation.
As disjointed and unique as it was, the 2020-21 season provided plenty of rewards for staff, players and supporters of the Concordia Volleyball, which finished ranked No. 8 in the NAIA.