SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Soccer will travel to Grand Rapids, Mich. for its NAIA nationals opening round game on Thursday (Nov. 21). The fifth-seeded Bulldogs will face off in a rematch against No. 4 seed Benedictine College (Kan.) at the Aquinas College Athletic Field. First-seeded Aquinas (ranked 6th overall) is the host of the Grand Rapids Bracket and will take on the winner for a chance to move on to the final site.
Grand Rapids Bracket – Nov. 21/23
--Location:Aquinas College Athletic Field | Grand Rapids, Mich.
--Round 1 Video Stream ($4.99) | Round 2 Video Stream ($4.99) | Live Stats
First Round – Thursday, Nov. 21
(4) Benedictine vs. (5) Concordia, 1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET
Second Round – Saturday, Nov. 23
(1) Aquinas vs. first-round winner, 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET
The Grand Rapids Field
Aquinas College (Mich.)
Head Coach: James DeCosemo, 2nd season
Record: 16-0-2, 11-0-1 Wolverine-Hoosier
NAIA National Ranking: 6th overall seed, 5th coaches’ poll
Goals Scored/Allowed: 82/6
Top Goal Scorer: Maeva Lichtensteiger – 17 goals
Goalkeeper: Kayla Shuk - 0.33 GAA, 42 saves (18 starts)
All-time nationals appearances: 7 (9-6 record)
(4) Benedictine College (Kan.)
Head Coach: Hunter Nail, 1st season
Record: 13-6-1, 9-2 Heart of America
NAIA National Ranking: Receiving Votes
Goals Scored/Allowed: 36/18
Top Goal Scorer: Payton Vogelbacher/Jenna Wilken – 7 goals
Goalkeeper: Mackenzie Korzenecki – 0.95 GAA, 71 saves (20 starts)
All-time nationals appearances: 12 (14-9-3 record)
(5) Concordia University (Neb.)
Head Coach: Nick Smith, 2nd season
Record: 13-6-1, 8-3 GPAC
NAIA National Ranking: Not Ranked
Goals Scored/Allowed: 50/26
Top Goal Scorer: Kierstynn Garner – 21 goals
Goalkeeper: Angela Banks – 1.35 GAA, 73 saves (19 starts)
All-time nationals appearances: 4, (0-2 record, covid 2020 season)
Game Notes
· A win on Thursday would make the 2024 Bulldogs the first team in program history to claim victory at the national tournament. Concordia is 0-2 in its two previous trips to the NAIA national tournament. While making their first-ever appearance at nationals, the 2014 Bulldogs were defeated by ninth-ranked Benedictine College (Kan.), 4-0. Two years later, Concordia ventured to Keiser University (Fla.) and lost by a 2-0 score at the hands of the third-ranked Seahawks. The 2020 team qualified for nationals after winning the GPAC tournament title but was unable to make the trip in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19. In addition, it continues to seek its first goal on the national stage.
· A few Bulldogs commented on making nationals for the first time in their career. Senior Taylor Slaymaker said, “It was awesome. My four years here, I haven’t been to nationals or made it to the GPAC championship. After we beat Dordt, we were really excited that we made it to nationals and just excited to make it to the GPAC championship. It was an awesome feeling.” Kierstynn Garner said, “It’s a new experience for everyone in the locker room. The first thing is we have to remain true to our ethos and who we are as a program knowing that whoever we get matched up with is going to be a supreme test.” Niah Kichner said, “In this program we’ve never won a national game before, so that’s definitely a goal that we all have in mind. To be able to experience it is something not a lot of people in the country get to do. We want to enjoy every moment of it and show the hard work we’ve put in all season.”
· Nick Smith is the third coach in program history to lead the Bulldogs to a national tournament qualification. The others were Greg Henson (2014 and 2016) and Thomas Goines (2020). Each of the previous three national qualifiers were GPAC tournament champions. The 2024 team earned the GPAC’s second automatic bid to nationals after placing second in the conference for both the regular season and postseason. Below is a summary of Concordia’s national qualifying teams. Interestingly, the program’s one GPAC regular season champion (2017 squad) did not qualify for nationals. At that time, the GPAC was awarded only one automatic bid.
o 2024 – 13-6-1 overall (8-3 GPAC; 2nd); GPAC regular season/tournament runner up
o 2020 – 11-6-2 overall (9-2-1 GPAC; T-2nd); GPAC tournament champion
o 2016 – 15-6-1 overall (7-3 GPAC; 3rd); GPAC tournament champion
o 2014 – 16-3-3 overall (7-0-3 GPAC; 2nd); GPAC tournament champion
· The Bulldogs made it to the conference championship game by shutting out College of Saint Mary (3-0) and Dordt (1-0) in the GPAC quarters and semis, respectively. Having clinched a national tournament bid, Concordia rematched with regular season champions Hastings in the final conference clash of the year. The hosting Broncos jumped out in front early making a pivotal goal in the 5th minute. Coach Smith’s team would be unable to respond giving up a 4-0 loss to Hastings.
· Benedictine and Concordia met for the first time this season on Sept. 11. The Bulldogs went scoreless, surrendering a 2-0 loss after 90 minutes. The team found life with five shots in the second half but couldn’t find the back of the net late. In the early growing pains, CUNE gave back to back opportunities for the Ravens’ Jenna Wilken to kick two past keeper Banks (21’, 23’) and the teams went silent on the scorecard for the rest of the game. The two sides were evenly matched with four shots on frame apiece and the visitors edged the Dawgs in corners (5-4). Five players from the home squad pulled the trigger in the match: Andrews (two), Garner (two), Gyllenswan (two) Haas (one) and Ruiz (two).
· A changing tide switched after starting 0-3 in conference play and reeled into a 10 game dominant run. In the drive, Concordia averaged 3.60 goals per game, while making it seemingly impossible to score for their opponents (0.30). Categories of dominance during the stretch: goals (36-3), shot percentage (.308-.040), shot attempts (117-75), corner kicks (44-29) and assists (29-3). The Dawg protectors made it tough in the defensive third almost doubling the conference foes in shots on goal (79-43). The defense has recorded seven shutouts and four complete clean sheets by Angela Banks. The Saint Joseph High product has collected 37 saves, 0.34 goals allowed average and a .925 save percentage in the 793 minute run. Taylor Slaymaker, Triniti Rowe, Avery Black, Sadie Mares, Hannah Kile and Senna McMullen have shut down opposing offenses, only allowing 7.5 shots per game. To read more on the 10 game winning streak, CLICK HERE.
· A total of eight players represented Concordia on the 2024 GPAC All-Conference teams released on Monday. In highlighting the selections, Kierstynn Garner and Niah Kirchner found their way onto the first team for the second year in a row. They were joined with first team accolades by teammate Taylor Slaymaker while second team honors went to Savannah Andrews, Angela Banks and Kyana Rios. Honorable mention status was attained by Hannah Kile and Elena Ruiz.
· Garner, the two time GPAC offensive player of the week has totaled 21 goals (2nd in GPAC), 12 assists (2nd) and 52 total points (2nd) in the 2024 campaign. The Kearney, Neb., native is 5th in the program’s single season records in goals scored and assists (three others). KG has totaled 48 career goals sitting at No. 4 in the program’s history. The go-ahead Garner has pushed the program record to 18 game winning scores in her career.
· Three players in the program were on the 2020-21 roster when the Bulldogs most recently qualified for nationals: Hannah Haas, Kassidy Johnson and Bradi Ore. Assistant coach Grace Soenksen was a member of the ’20 team that won the GPAC tournament title. However, no current players have ever experienced a national tournament game.
· The Ravens were on a four game win streak before falling to Central Methodist University (Mo.) in the conference semifinals (4-1). Benedictine received an at-large bid after a 13-6-1 overall showing. The team has doubled its opponents in goals (36-18) and averages 17.4 shots per game. Payton Vogelbacher and Jenna Wilken lead with seven goals as both have four assists to their name as well. Between the posts, Mackenzie Korzenecki has played 1,800 minutes allowing a 0.95 average and collecting 71 saves on a .789 save percentage.
· The Saints won the WHAC regular season title and the conference tournament. Having not seen a loss the entire season, Aquinas comes into the nationals with an 16-0-2 overall record. In the championship, the University of Northwestern Ohio and the Saints ended in a draw (1-1) and Aquinas won in penalty kicks (3-2). The most staggering number for the No. 1 seed is an 82-6 goal differential between its opponents. Averaging 30 shots per game, they have allowed 5.3 to their opposition. In the 82 scores, 76 have been assisted and the leader in goals (17) plus assists (15) is Maeva Lichtensteiger. Having three players in double digit scores, Sydney Shenk (16) and Madison Slezinski (11) follow behind Lichtensteiger. Keeper Kayla Shuk has a 0.875 save percentage and 12 shutouts in 1,640 minutes.
The final site
The final team left standing in the Grand Rapids bracket will advance to play at the final site of the national championship tournament, Pensacola, Fla., Dec. 2-9.