SEWARD, Neb. – The Bulldogs will look to continue their three game winning streak versus two GPAC opponents this week. Concordia University Women’s Soccer will face Doane and Waldorf on the road in the upcoming days. The Dawgs showed out against Morningside delivering a 3-1 senior day win in impressive fashion on Saturday night.
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Doane (5-6-3, 3-1-3 GPAC), 5 p.m.
Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Papik Field (Crete, Neb.)
Saturday, Oct. 19 at Waldorf (0-12, 0-7 GPAC), 5:30 p.m.
Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bolstorff Field (Forest City, Iowa)
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By the numbers
· Confident. Togetherness. Connected. These words were described on the field and off in the postgame interviews after beating a solid Morningside squad. In what seemed like a flashback to the 2023 season, the three leading goals scorers from just a season ago all came away with a finish in the final third. Kierstynn Garner, Savannah Andrews and Sierra Springer collected a goal apiece and the Kearney, Neb., native scored an equalizer after giving up a goal in the fifth minute. The impressive runs from the back line to the front were dangerous on seemingly every possession. An impressive header by Andrews provided the go-ahead goal and Springer, who had been in a goal drought this season, sprinted to kick in a fumble save by the Mustangs keeper. Senior Angie Banks was tested via penalty with two minutes to play, but the Downey, Calif., product punched out a great save to finish with a two goal lead.
· Concordia has scored 20 goals in 12 games while allowing 21 by the opponents. Averaging 8.5 shots per game, the Bulldogs have a .539 shot on goal percentage and a .196 shot percentage. Out of the 20 goals, 13 are assisted and with 102 shots Concordia is highly productive off a pass from teammates. Coach Smith has played 28 different players showing new depth in the 2024 season. Garner leads with 10 goals and three assists with Andrews and Garner leading the team in feeds. Four others have scored starting with Andrews (two), Haas (two), Kyana Rios (two), Katelyn Smith (one), McElhannon (one) and Springer (one). The final shots have been fired predominantly by Garner (30), Andrews (17), Haas (10), Niah Kirchner (eight) and Springer (eight). The two with the highest shots on goal percentage are Kirchner (.750) and Springer (.750) followed by Rios (.715). Mainstays like Kirchner and Elena Ruiz have started all 12 games for the Bulldog side.
· In the three game win streak, Concordia has scored six goals, while allowing two and claimed one shutout. While opposing teams have had a slightly more shots per game (+1.3) and a better SOG percentage (+.065), CUNE has been able to get more quality chances and take advantage of them in front of goal. The shot percentage difference has the Bulldogs at .250 and their opponents at .071. Averaging two goals per game, Head Coach Nick Smith’s squad has earned 13 corner kicks and has only allowed six. Goalkeeper Angie Banks has 14 saves in the stretch and, along with the defense, kept opposing scorers at bay.
· A storied history of the in-state conference rivals has seen Doane and Concordia meet 33 times with Concordia having a 17-16 edge over the Crete side. The Dawgs bit down hard on the Tigers in a 4-0 shutout at Papik Field to close the 2023 regular season. The Seward collective has gone 11-0 in the past 11 meetings since 2014 and eight were shutouts. With a +36 (40-4) goal differential, the Bulldogs will look to add their 12th win in a row.
· With Waldorf only in their first year as a full GPAC conference member, the Warriors and Bulldogs have only faced each other three times in program history with a 2-1 edge in favor of CUNE. Waldorf’s only win came in the first ever meeting barely knocking off Concordia (4-3) in 2011. The Two teams met in 2017 and 2023 where the Bulldogs won 7-1 and 2-1 in the meetings. Waldorf was added as an affiliate member in 2023 after the closing of Presentation College (S.D.) and became a full member this season.
· The Bulldogs jumped ten spots (72nd) in the Massey Ratings. After defeating the Mustangs, their strength of schedule has moved to 86th via Massey in the NAIA. Doane has moved up to 106th and Waldorf is slotted at 187th in the ratings. The two teams' strength of schedule is 112th for the Tigers and 160th for the Warriors.
Doane
The Tigers are 5-6-3 overall and 3-1-3 in the conference after winning their last match over Dakota Wesleyan (2-0). The side is 4-1 at home but winless outside Papik Field. Doane has scored 24 goals, while allowing 14, tied for second lowest in the league in goals per game (1.0). McKenna Rathbun paces the team on the offensive end with nine goals, good enough for fifth in the conference. The offense shoots 10.3 times per game and has a .604 shot on goal percentage. Hayle Brodine and Savannah Franzoy are right behind Rathbun with four goals apiece. Brodine also leads the team with four assists. Between the posts, the Tigers have started three different goalkeepers but have settled on Grayce Southern and Virginia Johnson. Southern leads the league in goals allowed (five) and has 25 saves while averaging 0.91 goals allowed per contest. Johnson has played most of the minutes (586) and 32 saves in eight games played.
Waldorf
The Warriors are winless on the year with an 0-12 overall record and a 0-7 conference showing. Their closest match was against Mount Marty falling 3-0 in the 90 minutes on Sept. 21. Waldorf will play Culver-Stockton College (Mo.) previous to Concordia in its midweek match. The offense has scored five goals and three have been scored by junior Olivia Cross. The team shoots 2.0 shots per game and has a .792 shot on goal percentage. Goalkeeper Hannah McNeave has the most saves in the conference (80) playing 580 minutes in seven games.
Final Regular Season Games
The Bulldogs will finish out conference play by hosting College of Saint Mary then traveling to Mount Marty and coming home for their final regular season bout versus Midland. Concordia will travel to face the Lancers in Yankton, S.D., and face off against the Flames and Warriors in Bulldog Stadium. The match is listed below.
Wednesday, Oct. 23
7 p.m. – vs. CSM
Saturday, Oct. 26
1 p.m. – at Mount Marty
Wednesday, Oct. 30
5:30 p.m. – vs. Midland