Concordia pushed Jamestown in all three sets, but the blocking of the top-ranked Jimmies was too much to overcome on Friday (Oct. 22). Camryn Opfer topped the Bulldogs (11-10, 6-7 GPAC) with 11 kills.
Concordia will be challenged significantly this weekend as it welcomes No. 1 Jamestown and No. 15 Dakota Wesleyan to Friedrich Arena. The Bulldogs will hold their pink match on Saturday.
The Bulldogs got the boost they needed this weekend while completing a 2-0 weekend in Sioux City. Concordia defeated Morningside in straight sets on Saturday (Oct. 16) behind a match high 13 kills from Erica Heinzerling.
Setter Tara Callahan piled up 42 assists while quarterbacking an attack that hit .352 while taking care of Briar Cliff in straight sets on Friday (Oct. 15). The Bulldogs won the first of two matches in Sioux City on the weekend.
The Bulldogs hope to get back into the win column this weekend as they head to Sioux City, Iowa, for matchups with Briar Cliff and Morningside. Concordia is currently in ninth place in the GPAC standings.
The results have been cruel lately for the 23rd-ranked Bulldogs, who fell in another five-setter on Saturday (Oct. 9). No. 18 Dordt eked it out over Concordia in a match that saw the two sides post nearly identical hitting percentages.
Yet another five-setter resulted in celebration for the opposition. The 23rd-ranked Bulldogs were clipped by Doane in Crete on Wednesday (Oct. 6) while being led by 17 kills apiece from Erica Heinzerling and Camryn Opfer.
The 23rd-ranked Bulldogs will return to action this week by playing at Doane on Wednesday before hosting No. 18 Dordt on Saturday. Concordia (9-7, 4-4 GPAC) had this past weekend off.
Concordia is still looking for its first five-set win of the season after falling in another match that went the distance on Wednesday (Sept. 29) at No. 3 Midland. The Bulldogs despite advantages in hitting percentage and kills.
After coming within an eyelash of extending their win streak to six, the Bulldogs are prepping for a short road trip to No. 1 Midland on Wednesday. The Warriors won in straight sets in Seward earlier this month.
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.