Women's Basketball

2002-03 - Women's Basketball schedule/results

36-2 Overall, 16-0 GPAC

Date Opponent Location Time/Results
Nov. 2 Peru State Seward, Neb. W 91-41
Nov. 5 York College York, Neb. W 82-64
Nov. 9 Park College Parkville, Mo. W 83-53
Hastings Classic:
Nov. 14 vs. St. Ambrose University Hastings, Neb. W 98-71
Nov. 15 vs. Morningside College Hastings, Neb. W 90-61
Nov. 16 vs. Oklahom S & A Hastings, Neb. W 103-60
Cattle Classic:
Nov. 22 vs. York College Seward, Neb. W 70-49
Nov. 23 vs. College of St. Mary Seward, Neb. W 103-63
Nov. 30 Peru State Peru, Neb. W 90-47
Dec. 4 Doane College* Crete, Neb. W 67-54
Dec. 7 Briar Cliff University* Sioux City, Iowa W 80-45
Dec. 14 Northwestern College* Seward, Neb. W 87-72
Clark College Holiday Tournament:
Dec. 27 vs. UW-La Crosse Dubuque, Iowa W 99-66
Dec. 28 vs. Mount Mercy Dubuque, Iowa W 73-40
Dec. 29 vs. Cardinal Stritch Dubuque, Iowa W 89-60
Tabor Classic:
Jan. 3 vs. Tabor College Hillsboro, Kan. W 76-55
Jan. 4 vs. Ottawa University Hillsboro, Kan. W 90-55
Jan. 7 Dana College* Seward, Neb. W 82-44
Jan. 11 Dordt College* Sioux Center, Iowa W 75-64
Jan. 15 Nebraska Wesleyan* Lincoln, Neb. W 65-55
Jan. 18 Hastings College* Seward, Neb. W 81-64
Jan. 21 Midland Lutheran* Fremont, Neb. W 77-71
Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT):
Jan. 24 vs. Concordia River Forest Ann Arbor, Mich. W 90-47
Jan. 25 vs. Concordia Mequon Ann Arbor, Mich. W 96-50
Jan. 29 Doane College* Seward, Neb. W 98-65
Feb. 1 Dana College* Blair, Neb. W 92-45
Feb. 4 Nebraska Wesleyan* Seward, Neb. W 63-49
Feb. 8 University of Sioux Falls* Seward, Neb. W 104-86
Feb. 12 Hastings College* Hastings, Neb. W 65-64
Feb. 15 Dakota Wesleyan* Seward, Neb. W 68-50
Feb. 18 Midland Lutheran* Seward, Neb. W 68-45
Feb. 22 Mount Marty College* Yankton, S.D. W 91-80
GPAC Tournament:
Feb. 25 vs. Doane* Seward, Neb. W 102-61
March 1 vs. Sioux Falls* Seward, Neb. L 76-55
NAIA National Tournament:
March 12 vs. Madonna (Mich) Sioux City, Iowa W 62-59
March 14 vs. William Jewell (Mo.) Sioux City, Iowa W 88-44
March 15 vs. Mary (N.D.) Sioux City, Iowa W 57-55
March 17 vs. Hastings Sioux City, Iowa L 66-60



*Indicates Great Plains Athletic Conference Games
All Home Games in BOLD

2002-03 - Women's Basketball roster

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown
10 Jonie Ficken G 5-6 Sr. Davenport, Neb.
12 Becky Mooney G 5-6 Sr. Cleveland, Ohio
14 Amy Streuter G 5-6 Sr. Collinsville, Ill.
20 Dani Adams G 5-6 Sr. Blue Springs, Neb.
22 Carly Wolfram G 5-6 Fr. Tomball, Texas
24 Kari Saving G/F 5-9 So. Lenexa, Kan.
30 Elizabeth Rhoden G 5-9 Jr. Friendswood, Texas
32 Keyna Kobza G 5-9 So. Bruning, Neb.
34 Rachel Kirchner G/F 6-1 Sr. Clarinda, Iowa
40 Kayla Luehman F 5-10 So. Lewiston, Minn.
42 Becca Hiller G 5-6 So. Lincoln, Neb.
44 Sarah Harrison F 6-1 So. Stratton, Neb.
50 Jenny Karner G 5-8 So. St. Louis, Mo.
52 Naomi Laune C/F 6-0 So. Ashland, Neb.
  Stephanie Lease G 5-6 So. Harrisburg, Neb.
  Becky Masters G 5-8 Fr. Meadow Grove, Neb.
  Brooke O'Neill G 5-7 So. Kearney, Neb.
  Kelsey Hibbert F 5-10 Fr. Beatrice, Neb.
  Jessica Domina F 5-10 So. Coleridge, Neb.
  Tara Kirchner C 6-0 So. Clarinda, Iowa

Todd Voss named women’s basketball coach

Todd Voss took over the reins of the Concordia University women’s basketball program last week after the resignation of Dr. Micah Parker to accept a position as director of operations for the women’s basketball program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
“I’m excited about the opportunity,” Voss said. “I hope to continue the success in building the program during the last three years.”
Voss, who also serves as Concordia’s assistant athletic director, joined the Bulldog coaching staff as an assistant for the 1999-2000 season after a successful stint as head girl's coach at Davenport High School. He led the Tigers to a 75-19 record, four state tournament appearances and a state championship in 1999, when he was named the D-2 Coach of the Year by Huskerland Prep. After taking over a team that was 6-12 the previous year, his squads finished each of his seasons ranked in the top five in state.
The Concordia graduate played for the 1992 Bulldog basketball team that advanced to the NAIA Final Four. Voss, who earned a master's degree in educational administration from Concordia in August 2001, and his wife, Amy, have a daughter, Karlee Sue.
Parker’s teams compiled an 80-41 record in four years, including advancing to the Sweet Sixteen at the 2002 national championships. His teams have been nationally ranked, climbing as high as No. 6 this year. In addition to winning on the court, the Concordia teams in the last two years led the nation at all levels of NCAA and NAIA with an average GPA of 3.7. Parker also spent eight years assisting in the Concordia men's basketball program.
The 1991 Concordia graduate completed a doctorate in educational administration in 1999 from the University of Nebraska. Parker and his wife, Amy, have a daughter, Emma Grace. He also taught physical education classes at Concordia.


Team tops GPA list for third consecutive year

The Concordia 2001-02 basketball team has completed an unprecedented third consecutive first-place finish atop the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll with a grade-point average of 3.685. No other team – NCAA, NAIA or JC/CC – has equaled this feat. In 2001 and 2000, the Bulldogs took the top spot with GPAs of 3.735 and 3.731, respectively. The WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for NAIA also includes GPAC members Doane at No. 2 with 3.641, Midland Lutheran, 3.413 at No. 13, and Mount Marty, No. 14 with 3.385. The NCAA Division III list finds Nebraska Wesleyan University No. 5 with a GPA of 3.544.

Bulldogs open season with 91-41 victory over Peru

2 NOV 2002

Coach Todd Voss got the opportunity to empty his bench as Concordia opened the women’s basketball season with a 91-41 victory over Peru.

“For our first outing,” Voss said, “I was pleased with our defensive intensity and offensive execution.”

The Saturday night debut of Voss as coach found the Bulldogs hitting almost half of their field-goal attempts at Seward on Nov. 2. It was 47-20 at half.
Elizabeth Rhoden’s 16 points and seven steals led the Bulldog attack with 12 players adding to the total. Rachel Kirchner added 14 and Becky Mooney 11. Kirchner was the force on the board with eight rebounds while Sarah Harrison grabbed six. Dani Adams had seven assists.

Voss also saw it as a good varsity baptism for the freshmen. “After the outcome was certain,” he said, “I was pleased the team maintained a high level of play.” Surgery on sophomore forward Keyna Kobza’s leg this week will keep her sidelined through November.
Brooke Placke paced the Peru attack with nine points.

Balanced scoring tops York, 82-64

5 NOV 2002

Concordia had four players in double figures as they defeated York College, 82-64, at York on Nov. 5. Elizabeth Rhoden hit 15, Dani Adams 14 with Rachel Kirchner and Sarah Harrison each adding 11. Amy Streuter popped in nine. The Bulldogs again were at 50 percent from the field, including eight for 22 from three-point range. Ginger Gatliff led York scoring with 16. It was 34-22 at half.

Strong second half propels Concordia, 83-53

9 NOV 2002

Rival coaches will be asking for a copy of Coach Todd Voss' halftime speech. The Bulldogs outscored Park, 54-23, in the second half after trailing 30-29 at the intermission. The final score Nov. 9 at Parkville, Mo., was 83-53. Sarah Harrison scored 15, Elizabeth Rhoden 14 and Naomi Laune 10 to lead the Bulldog attack. Kari Saving added nine and Amy Streuter eight. Concordia hit on 48.5 percent of its field-goal attempts, 60 percent in the second half. The Bulldogs outrebounded Park, 42-32, and scored 34 points off of turnovers.

Bulldogs win over St. Ambrose, 98-71

14 NOV 2002

Four players scored in double figures as Concordia defeated St. Ambrose, 98-71, the afternoon of Nov. 14 at the Hastings Classic. The Bulldogs hit 46.6 per cent of their field goal attempts and led at half, 47-31. Kari Saving was the leading scorer with 19 points while Sarah Harrison added 15, Jonie Ficken 13 and Elizabeth Rhoden 10. Amy Streuter and Naomi Laune each pitched in eight. Saving also pulled down 10 rebounds with Harrison grabbing seven. In assists Rhoden contributed five and Dani Adams four. In pre-season NAIA ratings, St. Ambrose was at No. 16 and the Bulldogs at No. 13.

Concordia spurts to 90-61 win over Morningside

15 NOV 2002

Five players scored in double figures as Concordia defeated Morningside, 90-61, on the afternoon of Nov. 15 at the Hastings Classic. Sarah Harrison hit eight of 12 field-goal attempts to lead the Bulldogs with 18. Kari Saving added 15 and 10 points each were credited to Naomi Laune, Elizabeth Rhoden and Kayla Luehmann. Luehmann grabbed nine rebounds and Rhoden turned in six assists. The Bulldogs stole the ball 20 times and Rachel Kirchner blocked two shots. It was 47-36 at half. Concordia plays Oklahoma S&A at 4 p.m. on Saturday. In other Friday games Hastings defeated St. Ambrose, 105-52 and Oklahoma S&A won over Doane, 89-71.

Bulldogs break Oklahoma S&A, 103-60

16 NOV 2002

The Concordia women's basketball team broke 100 by hitting 66 percent of its second-half field-goal attempts on Nov. 16. Five scored in double figures as the Bulldogs topped Oklahoma S&A, 103-60, in the third game they played at the Hastings Classic. It was 44-23 at half. The Oklahoma team turned the ball over 28 times. Scoring leaders for Concordia were Kari Saving, 19; Amy Streuter, 15; Elizabeth Rhoden and Jonie Ficken, 12 each; Becky Mooney, 11; Dani Adams, nine; and Sarah Harrison, seven. Rachel Kirchner totaled eight rebounds while Saving and Harrison each grabbed six. Doane defeated St. Ambrose, 91-75, in the opening game.

Balance pays off in Cattle Classic victories

22 NOV 2002

Balanced scoring again paid off for the Concordia women’s basketball team as they trounced College of St. Mary, 103-63, in a Cattle Classic contest Nov. 23 at Seward. The Bulldogs hit only 33.8 percent of their field-goal attempts on Nov. 22 but came away with a 70-49 victory over York.

The Cattle National Bank and Trust Co. in partnership with Concordia sponsored the classic, with donations of canned goods for admission. Proceeds benefited the Blue Valley Community Action Food Pantry.

The GPAC schedule starts for the 8-0 Bulldogs against Doane at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 4 at the Crete gym.

Against St. Mary, Amy Streuter came off the bench to hit three for four from three-point range as she scored all of her 14 points in the first half. Sarah Harrison added 13, Kari Saving and Keyna Kobza each 11 and Jonie Ficken and Dani Adams each 10. Elizabeth Rhoden was credited with nine assists and Adams and Harrison each grabbed five rebounds. It was 48-35 at half.

“In the second half we did a good job of moving the ball and running the floor,” Coach Todd Voss said. “Unselfishness is definitely a strength of this team. Defensively, we wore them down. We saw positive contributions from everyone.” Chelsea Malone scored 19, Erin Corrigan 14 and Sarah Shafer 12 for the Omaha team.

Kobza saw her first action after recovering from knee surgery. "It is good to get Keyna back,” the coach said. “She gives us versatility with her ability to play inside and out and adds to the depth of an already strong bench."

It was 36-23 at half against York. “The game didn't have any flow,” Voss said. “The Panthers had 33 turnovers, so defensively we did some things right.” Most of those turnovers resulted in dead-ball situations. “Very rarely were we able to get our transition game going for a sustained period,” he said.

Harrison led the scoring with 17 while Rhoden added nine, Rachel Kirchner eight and Adams seven. “Offensively, we had a tough shooting night,” Voss said. “It's always a good sign when you can win on a poor shooting night.” It was the first game where only one Bulldog scored in double figures.

Concordia collected 24 offensive rebounds translating into 20 points. Kayla Luehmann was the toughest on the boards, pulling down nine. Rhoden had five assists and five steals as the Bulldogs scored 36 points off of turnovers. Jen Spickelmier led York with 20 points and eight rebounds.

Harrison earned MVP honors for the classic and Adams and Kirchner were named to the all-classic team along with Spickelmier, Erin Corrigan of College of St. Mary and Tangela Rogers of Park.

In the other Cattle Classic contests, College of St. Mary overwhelmed Park, 68-49, after taking a 41-31 lead at the half. York came back after trailing by six with 30 second remaining to defeat Park, 79-74, with Bryanna Martin’s three-pointer with five ticks left tying it at 65-65. She also iced the win in the extra period by hitting three free throws in the final 19 seconds to give her a 23-point total.

Adams hits 15 in 90-47 win over Peru State

30 NOV 2002

Dani Adams hit five three-point shots to lead Concordia to a 90-47 win at Peru State on Nov. 30. Kari Saving pitched in 13, Sarah Harrison 11 and Keyna Kobza 10 with Joni Ficken and Becky Mooney each adding eight, Rachel Kirchner seven and Elizabeth Rhoden six. The Bulldogs led, 48-28, at half.

Bulldogs struggle in 67-54 GPAC opener at Doane

4 DEC 2002

A cold shooting night almost consumed the Concordia winning streak in the GPAC opener at Doane on Dec. 4. The Bulldogs pulled out a 67-54 victory despite hitting only 35 percent of their field goal attempts and a little better than half of their 32 free throws. It was five minutes after the 29-27 Bulldog halftime lead that Dani Adams hit a three-pointer of the night, the first of only two on the night. Concordia never trailed after Adams' shot earned a 36-35 lead. Andrea Swanson led a Tiger charge that cut the margin to 49-45 with 6:15 remaining, but Doane never got closer. Doane also was cold, hitting 30.8 percent from the field, including only two from three-point range. Sarah Harrison hit 21 for Concordia with Rachel Kirchner and Elizabeth Rhoden each adding 10 and Kari Saving seven. They also paced the Bulldog rebounding with Harrison grabbing 11, Kirchner nine and Saving seven. Saving and Rhoden each made four assists. The Bulldogs came up with 17 steals and 21 points off of turnovers while Doane pulled the ball away six times. Amanda Creighton scored 17 and Swanson 16 for Doane. Doane's biggest lead was at 18-13 after nine minutes of play.

Concordia defeats Briar Cliff, 80-45, in GPAC

7 DEC 2002

Concordia hit 55 percent of its field-goal attempts in an 80-45 GPAC victory over Briar Cliff on Dec. 7 at Sioux City, Iowa. All the Bulldogs got to set at least 11 minutes of action. It was 40-19 at half. They opened a 15-point lead early over the team that ended the 28-6 season a year ago with a 67-65 last-second shot in the NAIA national second round.
Sarah Harrison led the scoring with 17 while Kari Saving popped in 16 and Amy Streuter 11. Elizabeth Rhoden and Keyna Kobza each scored nine and Naomi Laune eight. Harrison also topped the rebounding department with seven while Rachel Kirchner pulled down five. Saving had four assists and three each were credited to Kayla Luehmann, Becky Mooney, Rhoden and Kobza. Dani Adams stole the ball five times and Saving five. Sarah Niles led Briar Cliff with 12 points and eight rebounds.

Bulldogs shake Red Raiders in 2nd half, 87-72

14 DEC 2002

Four players scored in double figures as Concordia put together a second-half rally to defeat Northwestern, 87-72, in a GPAC game at Seward on Dec. 14.

The Orange City, Iowa, team, which has advanced to the NAIA national tournament the past four years, was at No. 9 in the Dec. 3 NAIA ratings while Concordia sat at No. 2, just behind GPAC rival Hastings.

The Red Raider led in the first half by a much as nine points before the Bulldogs got a brief look at being in front with a minute left on Elizabeth Rhoden's three-pointer. A fast-break layup gave the Iowa team a 37-36 margin at the break.

The lead changed eight times and it was tied three times before the Bulldogs took the lead for good at 12:24 on Keyna Kobza layup. They built a five-point lead in the next minute and and although Northwestern cut it to two a couple of time increased it to 10 at 77-67 with 3:38 left.

Sarah Harrison led the Bulldog attack with 25 points with Rhoden adding 19, Amy Streuter 14 and Kobza 10. Harrison, who blocked four shots, was the top rebounder with 10 while Kari Saving, who added eight points, pulled down seven. Rhoden compiled 12 assists and four steals.

Jaime Woudstra's 25 and Lindsay Kropf's 17 paced the Red Raider attack. Jessica Ortman and Carli Blom each added 10. Blom led rebounding with 10. Northwestern turned the ball over 21 times to 11 for the Bulldogs.

Four in double figures in Clarke Tourney opener

27 DEC 2002

The next opponent will be Mount Mercy (5-7, a 76-57 winner over Clarke) on Sunday at 5 p.m.. A Sunday loss puts them into a Monday 5 p.m. game for third place while a victory places them in the championship game at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Teams in the opposite bracket include Concordia-River Forest (1-5), Cardinal Stritch (10-3), University of Wisconsin-Platteville (4-2) and Alverno.

A balanced scoring attack pushed the Bulldogs to a 45-29 halftime margin that they expanded in the second half. Sarah Harrison poured in 17, Elizabeth Rhoden 16, Kari Saving 15 and Dani Adams 13 with Jonie Ficken and Rachel Kirchner each adding nine and Naomi Launi seven. Adams hit three of four three-point attempts. Harrison was 7-9 in field-goal attempts.

Harrison also led in the battle of the boards with eight with Saving and Kirchner each pulling down six. Concordia totaled 18 steals with Kayle Luehmann coming up with five and Saving and Harrison each dour. Rhoden was tops in assists with six. Karen Berg led NCAA Division III UW-La Crosse with 21 points and seven rebounds.

Concordia advances to Clarke finals, 73-40

28 DEC 2002

Concordia jumped off to a 43-16 halftime lead and went on to defeat Mount Mercy, 73-40, Saturday afternoon at the Clarke Holiday Tournament in Dubuque, Iowa. The Bulldogs advance to the tournament finals at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, when they will meet Cardinal Stritch, rated No. 16 in the Dec. 10 NAIA poll. The Bulldogs, now 14-0, are NAIA No. 2. The Milwaukee, Wis., team is 12-3.

Elizabeth Rhoden led the Bulldogs with 13 points, seven steals and six assists while Sarah Harrison had 12 points and controlled the boards with 14 rebounds in addition to recording two blocks. The scoring duties were spread with Dani Adams adding eight, Kari Saving seven, Kayla Luehmann, Keyna Kobza and Naomi Laune each six and Amy Streuter five. Luehmann grabbed seven rebounds and Kobza and Laune each five.

Coach Todd Voss' team shot 44 percent from the field, but only hit four of 19 from three-point range and nine of 19 from the charity stripe. Meredith Austin had 16 for Mount Mercy.

Adams' injury mars Bulldogs' tournament victory

29 DEC 2002

Three players came off the bench to score in double figures as the Concordia women's team defeated Cardinal Stritch (NAIA #16) for The Clarke Holiday Tournament championship Tuesday afternoon at Dubuque, Iowa.

The celebration of the Bulldogs' 15th straight victory was dimmed in the early minutes when point guard Dani Adams suffered a head injury in a fall. Amy Streuter with 14 and Becky Mooney with 11 points stepped in to fill the gap and Naomi Laune added 15. Elizabeth Rhoden, who scored 13, was named tournament MVP and was joined by Sarah Harrison on the all-tournament team.

Harrison led the rebounding game with seven and Rhoden and Kayla Luehmann each pulled down six. Four assists each were credited to Kari Saving, Rhoden and Mooney, who also had four steals. Streuter was four for five from three-point range and also was runner-up in the tournament three-point shooting contest. The Bulldogs, who hit 52 percent from the field, led at half, 46-29.

Among other awards presented, Rachel Kirchner and Amy Streuter were honored for servant leadership, community involvement and academic achievement.

Bulldogs overcome slow start to win, 76-55

3 JAN 2003

Concordia overcame a slow start to win over Tabor, 76-55, at Hillsboro, Kan., on Friday night. The Bulldogs connected on only a third of their first-half field-goal attempts as they took a 26-20 lead at the break. The Tabor Classic host team also had a tough shooting night, hitting only 30 percent for the game while the Bulldogs improved to 46 percent in the second half.
Amy Streuter and Elizabeth Rhoden with 12 and Jonie Ficken with 11 paced the Bulldog attack. Kari Saving added nine points, Becky Mooney eight and Carly Wolfram seven. Sarah Harrison topped the rebounding department with Rhoden grabbing five. Rhoden had four steals to go with three assists. Ficken also had three assists. Jill Hein led Tabor scoring with 12.

Concordia wins, 90-55, as they prepare for GPAC

4 JAN 2003

Concordia dominated Ottawa, 90-55, Saturday afternoon at the Tabor Classic in Hillsboro, Kan. Four players scored in double figures: Sarah Harrison 23, Becky Mooney 14 and Kari Saving and Elizabeth Rhoden, each 12. Amy Streuter added nine and Naomi Laune eight. Concordia controlled the boards, 45-34, with Harrison, who also blocked two shots, grabbing 11, Kayla Luehmann seven and Rachel Kirchner six. Saving added six assists and Rhoden, who had three steals, contributing four. It was 37-29 at half. The Bulldogs, who go back to GPAC competition against Dana at home on Tuesday at 7:30 undefeated after 17 games, scored 27 points off of turnovers. A down side to the effort was inability to connect from three-point range with only three of 15 attempts going through the net.

#1 Bulldogs back to GPAC with 82-44 win

7 JAN 2003

Fresh from an afternoon designation as the top NAIA Division II team in the nation, the Concordia Bulldogs on Tuesday night defeated Dana, 82-44, to boost their record to 18-0, 4-0 in the GPAC. It was 46-14 at half.

Elizabeth Rhoden was perfect in four shots from three-point range as she hit seven of eight field-goal attempts to top the scoring with 18. Sarah Harrison added 12, Becky Mooney 11 and Amy Streuter 10. Rachel Kirchner was the top rebounder with seven.

Dana, winless in nine starts including three GPAC games, was led by Samanta Alapa with 18 points.

It was a big day in the national ratings for the GPAC, claiming three of the top five spots, five of the top 25 and seven of the top 40. The Bulldogs moved up from the No. 2 spot they held on Dec. 10 to replace No. 1 Hastings, 14-2, which dropped to third after two losses. Northwestern, 11-3, was No. 3. Dakota Wesleyan at 10-7 was put at No. 11 and Doane, 11-3, sat at No. 24. Sioux Falls and Mount Marty were among other teams receiving votes.

Dordt falls to Concordia, 75-64; record at 19-0

11 JAN 2003

Concordia held off a late rally by a good young Dordt team to win, 75-64, at Sioux Center, Iowa, on Saturday afternoon. It was the Bulldogs' 19th straight win, the fifth in GPAC play. Elizabeth Rhoden paced the Bulldog attack with 15 points and six rebounds. Carly Wolfram scored nine in the first half and Naomi Laune added eight. Kayle Luehmann had eight rebounds and seven points. Concordia warmed up to 58 percent shooting in the second half, but let a 17-point lead slip in the closing minutes while being outrebounded.

Win No. 20 earned at Nebraska Wesleyan, 65-55

15 JAN 2003

The Concordia Bulldogs racked up win No. 20 in a tough battle at Nebraska Wesleyan on Jan. 15. The Prairie Wolves in the 65-55 battle held Concordia to its lowest point total of the year and its narrowest winning margin.

Concordia went on a 9-0 run after Wesleyan tied it at 15-15 at 11:33 and never trailed. It was 36-25 at half and Wesleyan, now 5-9, never got closer than six points.

Kari Saving led the Concordia attack with 18 points while Rachel Kirchner added 10 and Elizabeth Rhoden eight. Sarah Harrison, who only played 15 minutes while saddled with foul trouble, led rebounding with eight with Kirchner pulling down five and Saving and Kayla Luehmann each four. Saving stole the ball three times and Kirchner led in assists with three.

Rhea May paced Wesleyan with 15 points. Lindsey Fuller blocked six shots and grabbed six rebounds.

Concordia is 6-0 in GPAC play, while the Prairie Wolves are 1-4.

NAIA #1 prevails over #3, 81-64, on Jan. 18

18 JAN 2003

The Concordia Bulldogs supported NAIA raters' reputations with an 81-64 GPAC victory over Hastings at Seward on Jan. 18. The Jan. 14 NAIA national women's basketball poll showed Concordia on top with all 18 first-place votes while raters put 17-3 Hastings at No. 3. A capacity crowd of 1,323 watched.

The Bulldogs used a balanced attack to open a big margin after a 39-36 lead at half. The Bulldogs consistently worked the ball inside for layups and were 11 for 19 from three-point range while producing a strong defensive effort.

The Broncos were unable to come closer than nine points at 4:08 in the second half at 67-58. Hastings held its only first-half lead on Carly Stucky's three-pointer to make it 25-22 at 5:40.

Sarah Harrison scored 27 points and fought for 14 rebounds to pace Concordia. Elizabeth Rhoden put in 17 points and made five assists while Kari Saving scored 14 and pulled down seven rebounds. Elizabeth Herbeck fouled out with 5:42 left after scoring 20 for the Broncos. Stucky added 11 and Stephanie Shaw and Sandy Gowen each 10. Gowen had seven rebounds.

Concordia pulls out 77-71 game at Midland

21 JAN 2003

Four players scored in double figures as Concordia defeated Midland Lutheran, 77-71, Tuesday night at Fremont. It was the narrowest winning margin of the year for the NAIA #1 Bulldogs.

Kari Saving led the attack with 22 points while Elizabeth Rhoden had 14, Sarah Harrison 13 and Amy Streuter 10. Naomi Laune and Harrison each controlled six rebounds. The Bulldogs hit 56 percent of their shots in the first half for a commanding 48-32 lead. The Warriors outscored Concordia, 39-29, in the second half as the Bulldog nets cooled with 37 percent success. Midland heated up to connect on 47 per cent with five players in double figures, including Rebecca Garrelts 14, Erin McCabe 12, and Trisha Petrzelka, Jill Hayden and Jacque Mundil each 10. McCabe and Hayden each grabbed seven rebounds. The Bulldogs built a 20-point lead but the Warriors cut it to 68-64 with 2:26 remaining.

Bulldogs advance to CIT finals against Mequon

24 JAN 2003

The Bulldogs outlasted an outmanned Concordia Ann Arbor team, 90-47, in the first round of the Concordia Invitational Tournament at Ann Arbor, Mich., on Friday night. The Cardinals stayed with the Bulldogs in the first half, which ended at 34-27 after the Seward team hit only 28 percent of field-goal attempts. A six-minute scoring drouth after the Bulldogs had pulled ahead 55-39 spelled the end of Ann Arbor hopes. The winners hit 50 percent of shots in the second half. Amy Streuter led Bulldog scoring with 19 points, Elizabeth Rhoden 15 and Sarah Harrison 13. Rhoden, who had five assists and four steals, also had six rebounds with Becky Mooney grabbing five. Carye Musko led Ann Arbor with 15.

The Bulldogs meet Concordia Mequon, 72-44 winners over River Forest, at 6 p.m. for the CIT championship.

Quick start propels Bulldogs in CIT finals, 96-60

25 JAN 2003

The Bulldogs jumped off to a 19-4 start and went on to defeat Concordia Mequon, 96-60, in the finals of the Concordia Invitational Tournament Saturday night in Ann Arbor, Mich. It was 50-28 at half.
Elizabeth Rhoden, who was named CIT MVP, led the attack with 25 points while Kari Saving tossed in 18 , Keyna Kobza 12 and Sarah Harrison 11. Carly Wolfram had six rebounds while five grabs were made by Jonie Ficken, Amy Streuter, Rhoden, Kayla Luehmann and Harrison. Kari Saving made six assists and Rhoden was credited with five steals. Streuter was named to the all-tournament team.

Bulldogs win #25 as Doane falls, 98-65

29 JAN 2003

Undefeated NAIA No. 1 Concordia won its 25th game of the season at Seward on Wednesday night with a 98-65 stampede over Doane.

Concordia didn't get its first lead until six minutes into the game at 12-10. They moved to a 47-36 halftime margin. In the first five minutes of the second half the Bulldogs took a 61-40 advantage and they went on to hit 63 percent from the field in the period, 58 percent for the game.

Four Concordia players scored in double figures -- Sarah Harrison 17, Rachel Kirchner 16, Elizabeth Rhoden 14 and Amy Streuter 12. Harrison had 10 rebounds and blocked three shots. The assist department found many contributions with Rhoden adding six, Becky Mooney five and Jonie Ficken, Streuter and Kari Savings each four.

Heather Nicholson scored 16 and Lacie Stewart 10 for the Tigers. Andrea Swanson scored 12 and rebounded 11 shots. Doane was perfect in 15 free-throw attempts. They hit 32 percent from the field.

GPAC record at 10-0 with 92-45 win at Dana

1 FEB 2003

Concordia won its 10th GPAC game and extended its win string to 26 with a 92-45 victory at Dana on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs connected on 57 percent of their shots with Elizabeth Rhoden scoring 14, Naomi Laune 11 and Keyna Kobza 10. Concordia was ahead by 51-27 at half. Sarah Harrison claimed seven rebounds, along with five blocks, and Kayla Luehmann six. Rhoden notched eight assists and three steals, the same theft total as Rachel Kirchner. The game also marked the return of Dani Adams, who has been out with a head injury since the late December Clarke College tournament. Adams scored six points in 13 minutes of action.

Concordia handles Nebraska Wesleyan, 63-49

4 FEB 2003

Concordia ground out a 63-49 GPAC victory over Nebraska Wesleyan at Seward on Tuesday night. Elizabeth Rhoden with 19 led the Bulldog attack with Amy Streuter adding 10. Kylie Fischer scored 14 for Wesleyan. The Prairie Wolves slowed the Bulldog offense below their 88-point per game average despite turning over the ball 29 times. Kari Saving led Bulldog rebounding with five while Rachel Kirchner and Sarah Harrison each had four. Wesleyan only got 14 shots in the first half, but half of them connected. The Prairie Wolves outrebounded Concordia, 36-28. Concordia, which earned its No. 1 ranking in NAIA Division II on Tuesday, in its next three games faces top 25 teams -- No. 23 Sioux Falls at home on Saturday at 2 p.m., No. 2 Hastings away at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 and No. 12 Dakota Wesleyan at home on Feb. 15 at 2 p.m.

Bulldogs squelch late threat for 104-86 win

8 FEB 2003

The Lady Bulldogs went on a 17-2 run after Sioux Falls had pulled with 67-66 with 9:24 remaining to earn a 104-86 victory at Seward on Saturday afternoon. It sets up the a media headliner as NAIA #1 Concordia will face #2 Hastings (23-3, 11-1 in GPAC) at 7:30 on Wednesday.

It was 54-44 at half as the Bulldogs went on to break 100 for the first time in their 28-0 season. They are 12-0 in GPAC. Concordia held 16-point margins late in the first half, but the Cougars chipped away as the Bulldogs were scoreless for a four-minute spell. All but one of Concordia's players scored with reserves Rachel Kirchner, Keyna Kobza and Naomi Laune sparking the late drive.

Five players scored in double figures for the Bulldogs, including Sarah Harrison with 17, Elizabeth Rhoden 15, Amy Streuter 12, Laune 11 and Kayla Luehmann 10. Luehmann led in rebounding with seven with Kari Saving getting five as well as blocking two shots. Rhoden contributed six assists and Becky Mooney added four. In the steal department, Streuter came up with four and Dani Adams three.

Concordia edges Hastings, 65-64, in thriller

12 FEB 2003

Sarah Harrison hit a jump shot with three seconds remaining to allow Concordia to escape with a 65-64 win at Hastings on Wednesday night. But it wasn't over even at that point. A long Hastings pass went out of bounds with 1.7 seconds left and a last-gasp on-line shot by Carly Stucky hit the front of the rim.

Concordia struggled with 38 percent shooting in the first half while the Broncos were converting half of their shots for a 38-30 lead. Hastings led 19-14 at the quarter's midpoint and took its biggest lead of the night at 36-25.

Rachel Kirchner's rebound gave the Bulldogs their first lead, 51-50, with 9:37 left. It was 58-52 for Concordia after Kari Savings' three-pointer from the top of the key. Hastings came back with Elizabeth Herbek tying it at 61-61 with the clock showing 1:46. Stucky's three from the corner made it look bad for the Bulldogs with a 64-63 deficit at 1:07. A lane violation took away Kayla Luehmann's free throw with 18 ticks remaining. Hastings missed a free throw to set up the opportunity for Harrison.

The shooting percentages turned around in the second half with Concordia connecting on 48 percent while Hastings cooled off to 36 percent. The Bulldogs had five more field goals (30) than Hastings (25), but only got four free throws, hitting only one. Concordia controlled the boards, 40-31.

Harrison led Concordia scoring with 17 with Elizabeth Rhoden adding 15, Saving nine and Amy Streuter eight. Luehmann had eight rebounds and Harrison seven. Rhoden had five assists and four steals.

The 29th win of the season broke a Concordia school record. Hastings, national NAIA tournament champions in 2002, fell to 23-4. Stucky led scoring with 19 while Herbek added 15. Herbek and Jami Lipker both had seven rebounds and Carrie Hoffstetter had seven assists.

Bulldogs clinch national tournament spot

15 FEB 2003

A 68-50 victory over Dakota Wesleyan enabled Concordia to earn the GPAC berth in the national NAIA tournament. The Bulldogs, 14-0 in the GPAC, have at least a tie for the championship with two games to go and hold two wins over Hastings, the challenger. The March 12-18 tournament is at Sioux City, Iowa. It was the 30th win for the NAIA #1 team, while the Tigers are now 10-4 in conference play and 18-11 overall after a #11 rating in the NAIA.

The Bulldogs only managed to hit 33 percent from the field against the Tigers, but took 19 more shots. Dakota Wesleyan led at half, 31-29. A 13-0 run early in the second half launched the Bulldog comeback. Wesleyan pulled with 52-46 with 7:14 left. They hit 40 percent from the field, but only one for nine from behind the arc. The start of the game at Seward was delayed until 6 p.m. because of the weather. Sarah Harrison, who had seven rebounds, led the Bulldog scoring with 16 while Amy Streuter and Elizabeth Rhoden each added 10. Rhoden led with five assists. Kayla Luehmann made four steals and Kari Saving three.

Tacey Faulhaber led Wesleyan with 14 with Randi Morgan adding 12 as well as controlling the boards with 12 grabs.

Concordia 31-0 after 68-45 roll over Midland

18 FEB 2003

Win No. 31 arrived Tuesday night for the Concordia Bulldogs, who were spotted at No. 1 in the NAIA poll that day for the seventh consecutive week. Midland Lutheran fell, 68-45, at Seward as they turned the ball over 17 times and had it stolen from them 11 times. The Bulldogs shot 46 percent from the field to take a 37-16 halftime margin. The Warriors shot 33 percent, but hit only two of eight from three-point range. Sarah Harrison scored 18 and pulled down eight rebounds to lead the Bulldog attack. Jonie Ficken hit for 10 points. Elizabeth Rhoden made five assists. Rhoden, Amy Streuter and Kari Saving each came up with two steals.

Bulldogs 32-0 heading into GPAC tournament

22 FEB 2003

Concordia defeated Mount Marty, 91-80, to finish the regular schedule at 32-0, 16-0 in the conference. Doane will be the first opponent in the conference tournament on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Seward. The other pairings will be determined by Saturday scores.

The Saturday afternoon game at Yankton, S.D., found Elizabeth Rhoden leading the attack with 26 points with Amy Streuter adding 15, Sarah Harrison 12, Kari Saving 10 and Naomi Laune nine. Kayle Luehmann with 10 rebounds dominated the boards. The Bulldogs struggled to a 49-46 halftime advantage. Rhoden had eight assists and Harrison blocked four shots. Hitting 34 of 62 from the field ended with a 55 percent success total for the Bulldogs, who also connected on 17 of 25 free throws.

Concordia advances to GPAC semifinals, 102-61

25 FEB 2003

A 20-2 run to open the second half opened a margin Doane was unable to overcome as Concordia won the opening GPAC playoff game, 102-61, at Seward on Wednesday night.
Five scored in double figures -- Elizabeth Rhoden 20, Kari Saving 15, Kayla Luehmann 12, Sarah Harrison 11 and Amy Streuter 10. Andrea Swanson led Doane with 24 points and 10 rebounds as well as blocking four shots.

Doane failed to hit from three-point range in 11 attempts, but connected on 42 percent of their shots. Meanwhile, Concordia was 12 for 27 from behind the arc, including 58 percent in the first half, which ended 52-32. Saving collected seven rebounds and Naomi Laune and Harrison each grabbed six. Rhoden added seven assists and Luehmann had three steals. Concordia got 40 points from its bench as compared to six for Doane.

Sioux Falls ends run for perfect season, 76-55

1 MAR 2003

Sioux Falls overcame a slow start to advance to the GPAC playoff finals at Hastings with a 76-55 victory over Concordia on Saturday night. It was the first loss after 33 wins for the NAIA #1 Bulldogs, who hit on only 27 percent of their field-goal attempts, 25 percent in the second half. They still advance to the national tournament as the regular-season GPAC champion. Hastings won the other GPAC semifinal game, 79-64, over Dakota Wesleyan.

Concordia held a 21-10 lead midway in the first half, but the Cougars came back to tie it at 30-30 when Courtney Farrell put back a rebound in the final seconds. Krista Orsack connected on three three-pointers with four minutes early in the second half to spark Sioux Falls to a 56-41 margin at the midpoint. The Bulldogs never threatened. The Cougars hit 15 of 19 free throws in the final stanza, 20-29 for the game. They also outrebounds the Bulldogs, 52-41, with Stephanie Austin grabbing 10 and Jill Austin nine. Three Cougars scored 15: Orsack, Farrell and Jill Austin.

Elizabeth Rhoden led Concordia with 12 points and Sarah Harrison added nine. Harrison, who blocked three shots, grabbed seven rebounds and Rhoden, who totaled four assists, pulled down six.

It was the lowest point total of the year for the Bulldogs, who were averaging 84.5 points per game. Concordia won the other matchup with Sioux Falls, 104-86.

Lady Bulldogs vs. Madonna in NAIA first round

12 MAR 2003

The Concordia women’s basketball team enters the NAIA women’s national basketball tournament hoping to uphold their rating at the top small-college women’s basketball team in the nation. The Bulldogs have maintained the top spot for the past nine weeks.

The Lady Bulldogs, 33-1 after a 75-66 loss to Sioux Falls in the GPAC tournament semifinals on March 1, face Madonna (Mich.) in the first round at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday.

“Our team has worked hard to get to this point,” Coach Todd Voss said. “The tournament is our reward.”

Four GPAC teams are in the final 32, with Hastings qualifying as the GPAC tournament champion and Sioux Falls and Dakota Wesleyan getting at-large bids. Hastings is in the same bracket as the Bulldogs with the potential of a semifinal matchup. A year ago two GPAC teams advanced to the semifinals, with Hastings winning the championship with a 63-59 win over Cornerstone. Briar Cliff, a year before they entered t GPAC membership, also was in the semifinals.

Madonna earned its second-ever berth in the national with a 66-59 victory over Cornerstone in the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference championship game. They defeated Tri-State, the top WHAC team, by 69-58 to reach the finals.

“Our first-round opponent has been playing well down the stretch,” Voss said. “After a 3-14 start, they turned their season around by finishing 10-5 and winning their way into the national tournament.”

The WHAC includes Concordia Ann Arbor. The Bulldogs won over them, 90-50, in the Concordia Invitational Tournament in January while the Crusaders beat them twice, 83-51 and 68-45.

The Crusaders feature 5-11 Lindsay Simmon, who averages 16.7 points per game. Simmon and 6-2 Courtney Rehbine each pick off almost seven rebounds a game. Loriann Tschirhart gets their attack going with 4.2 assists per game. Madonna is one of the largest Catholic Franciscan independent universities in the country.

“Madonna is a big, physical team that is effective in the half-court,” Voss said. “We need to make it a full-court game and rebounding is going to be a key factor in the game.”
Sarah Harrison and Elizabeth Rhoden pace the Bulldog scoring, each with a 13.6-point average, while Kari Saving puts in 10.5 points per game. Harrison is the top rebounder at 6.8 while Rhoden contributes 5.1 assists and 2.9 steals per game.

“Our depth, inside-outside balance, experience and the strength of the schedule we've played this year prepare us well what we're going to see at nationals,” Voss said. “We're looking forward to competing one game at a time and seeing what we can accomplish.”

A first-round victory would pit the Bulldogs against the winner of the Ohio Dominican (26-7)-William Jewell (26-8) game at 4 p.m. on Friday. The quarterfinal game would be at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Mary of North Dakota (24-5) is the No. 2 seed in the Bulldogs’ eight-team bracket. If Concordia advances to the semifinals, it would be at 6 p.m. on Monday with the championship game at 6:30 p.m. on March 18.

Late rally allows Bulldogs to advance at NAIA

14 MAR 2003

It wasn't looking good for the Concordia women's basketball team, down 54-50, with 3:40 remaining. But the Bulldogs rallied for a 62-59 victory in the first round of the NAIA national tournament Wednesday evening at Sioux City, Iowa. The score was tied seven times in the second half.

After Sarah Harrison hit two free throws, Elizabeth Rhoden stole the ball and outraced the defenders for a layup to tie it at 54. Rhoden drove the middle for a layup at 2:04 to put the Bulldogs ahead for good. After Lindsay Simmon hit a free throw, Kayla Luehmann was fed for a layup by Dani Adams. Rhoden's two free throws with 49 seconds remaining build a 60-57 margin and Adams' free throws with 23 seconds led to the final margin. Harrison blocked a shot in the final flurry by Madonna.

Concordia's biggest margin came at 14-9 seven minutes into the game, but Madonna led 29-28 at the break.

Rhoden with 19 and Harrison with 16 led the Bulldog scoring with Adams adding nine. Harrison picked off nine rebounds and Adams had six as well as making five steals. Simmon led Madonna with 23 and Courtney Rehbine had 13. Both teams had 20 field goals, but the Bulldogs hit 20 of 26 free throws while the losers were 15 of 20.

Concordia on Friday at 4 p.m. face the William Jewell (27-8), the Heart of American Conference champion from Liberty, Mo. They defeated Ohio Dominican, 83-78, in the NAIA first round.

William Jewell cut in second round, 88-44

14 MAR 2003

It was 14-2 in the first five minutes and 24-7 midway in the first half. Concordia went on to an 88-44 victory in the NAIA second round Friday afternoon at Sioux City, Iowa. The Lady Bulldogs are one of eight teams remaining and will battle Mary (N.D.) (26-5) at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

A balanced attack pushed Concordia to 45-17 at half and with 1:18 remaining at 86-40 had a chance to break the 50-point NAIA record for winning margin.

Jonie Ficken scored 12, Elizabeth Rhoden 11, Dani Adams and Becky Mooney each 10 and Kari Saving and Kayla Luehmann each nine in the win. Luehmann picked off nine rebounds and Amy Streuter turned in six assists. Saving recorded five steals.

Lady Bulldogs weather late surge, 57-55

15 MAR 2003

The Lady Marauders of Mary went ahead 55-54 for the first time in the NAIA quarterfinal matchup with two free throws by Jessie Slinde with 1:25 remaining. It only took 10 seconds for the Bulldogs to answer on a jumper in the paint by Sarah Harrison and Elizabeth Rhoden added a free throw with 12.6 seconds on the clock. A last shot by Mary failed to connect and the Bulldogs (35-1) advanced, 57-55, to the NAIA semifinal game at 6 p.m. on Monday against the winner of the Hastings-Evangel game. GPAC rivals Sioux Falls and Dakota Wesleyan also were still in the running in the quarterfinals.

Concordia jumped off to a 7-2 lead and led 29-21 at half. Its biggest margin came early in the second half at 35-22. A four-minute scoring drouth allowed the Marauders to pull within 45-43 at 8:34.

Leading the way for Concordia was Harrison, who scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Rhoden added 16 points while dishing out seven assists. The Bulldogs hit a dismal 35 percent of 60 field-goal attempts and were 12-16 at the charity stripe. The Bismarck, N.D., school, which ended its season at 26-6, kept pace by hitting on 17 of 20 free throws. Mary had four players in double figures, led by Jessica Zundel with 13.

Hastings excels at free throws, 66-60, in semifinals of NAIA national

17 MAR 2003

Free-throw shooting paid off for Hastings as they defeated Concordia, 66-60, in the semifinals of the NAIA national tournament on Friday night at Sioux City, Iowa. The Broncos connected on 20 of 23 while the Bulldogs hit only seven of 15.

Hastings held a 25-23 margin. Concordia jumped ahead, 4-0, but Hastings rallied to lead, 17-10, eight minutes into the game. The Bulldogs pulled ahead, 33-31, five minutes into the second half before Hastings regained the lead, 55-46 with six minutes remaining.

Amy Streuter and Jonie Ficken hit the only three-pointers of the night with 25 seconds remaining to make a threat.

Sarah Harrison scored 15 and Elizabeth Rhoden 14 for Concordia. Both grabbed nine rebounds. Post Elizabeth Herbek led Hastings withy 20 points and 10 rebounds. Three other Broncos scored in double figures.

The Great Plains Athletic Conference made some history with an all-league Final Four at the national. Dakota Wesleyan defeated Sioux Falls, 71-56, in the other semifinal game. Hastings College defended its national championship by defeating Dakota Wesleyan, 59-53.
Concordia finished 36-2 while Hastings went 33-5 record. Dakota Wesleyan wound up 25-13 and Sioux Falls 23-10.

36-2 Bulldogs claim three-peat in academics

Concordia was 36-2 in 2002-03, winning the Great Plains Athletic Conference championship and advancing to the Final Four of the NAIA national tournament.
Concordia University held the No. 1 rating in NAIA Division II from Jan. 7 through the final poll and finished the regular season with a 32-0 record. In addition, the Bulldogs laid claim to an unprecedented three-peat as academic national champions by recording the highest team GPA (3.685) of any NAIA school.