Bulldog Weekly Report (Sept. 5)

By Jacob Knabel on Sep. 5, 2017 in Athletic Announcements

Bulldog Athletic Association Athletes of the Week

Male: Jack Bennett, Soccer

Bennett, a native of Oxford, England, gave up just a single goal over 270 minutes of action last week as the Bulldogs went 2-0-1. A junior in his first year as a starter, Bennett also made 14 saves, including one on a penalty kick, and was named the GPAC defensive player of the week.

Female: Lindsey Carley, Soccer

Carley, who hails from Urbandale, Iowa, made two starts in goal last week and conceded only goal while making 15 saves. The sophomore goalkeeper recorded her first career shutout in a 0-0 draw with Concordia-Wisconsin and garnered GPAC defensive player of the week accolades.

News and notes:

Homecoming weekend set for Sept. 22-23: Homecoming on the Concordia University campus is quickly approaching. The festivities get started on Friday, Sept. 22 when the Athletic Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremony is held. The next day will feature head coach Patrick Daberkow’s football team against Doane. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. CT. For complete details on homecoming weekend, click HERE.

Fall season previews: Season previews for each of Concordia’s fall sports teams have been posted to the web. Click the links below to learn more about the 2017 Bulldog squads.
-Cross Country
-Football
-Men’s Golf
-Women’s Golf
-Men’s Soccer
-Women’s Soccer
-Volleyball 

Bulldog Coaches Show airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT: The Bulldog Coaches Show is underway in its third year of existence. The show airs live for a half hour every Thursday beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT on KTMX-FM 104.9 Max Country. The weekly feature can also be heard live via 104.9 Max Country’s website or by downloading the Max Country app. Throughout the 2017-18 season, Bulldog football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball contests will be aired live on Max Country. Tyler Cavalli serves as the host of the coaches’ show as well as the play-by-play voice for football and basketball. Frank Greene is again calling volleyball action.                

Concordia Sports Network: Live webcasts for most home varsity contests can be accessed by visiting http://www.cune.edu/csn at game time. Check team schedules/results pages for webcast dates. Scrimmages, exhibitions and junior varsity events are not broadcasted.

Football

  • Unfortunately, a rash of mistakes and a worthy opponent prevented the Bulldogs from claiming victory in Patrick Daberkow’s head coaching debut on Sept. 2. Concordia committed three turnovers and was flagged with 12 penalties for 118 yards in a 28-13 loss at 20th-ranked Kansas Wesleyan University as part of the KCAC/GPAC Challenge. The Bulldogs fell to 0-1 despite outgaining the host Coyotes, 482-447. Led by sophomore Ryan Durdon, Concordia gained 318 yards on the ground. For more information on Bulldog football, click HERE.
  • Concordia had hoped for a victory that would help catapult it back into the national top 25. In the preseason coaches’ poll, the Bulldogs appeared as the first team listed among “others receiving votes.” Without playing a game, Concordia went from 20th in the spring poll to unranked in the preseason edition. In the GPAC preseason polls, the Bulldogs were pegged in a tie for fifth by the coaches and sixth by the media. Daberkow’s squad did garner a No. 23 preseason national ranking from College Football America.
  • Durdon, a native of Decatur, Texas, emerged as the breakout star of week one. He received the first carries of his career and took full advantage, rushing for 208 yards and a touchdown on 24 totes. He provided Concordia’s biggest highlight of the game with a 77-yard touchdown gallop midway through the fourth quarter. He became the first Bulldog to rush for 200 or more yards in a game since former option quarterback Cohl Tufford ran for an identical 208 yards on Oct. 1, 2011. Durdon’s rushing total is the third highest in a single game for a Concordia player during the GPAC era (2000-present). The school record for rushing yards in a game is still held by JaMaine Lewis, who racked up 261 yards in a win over Dakota Wesleyan on Oct. 20, 2007.
  • Erik Small is a throwback to the old days. The senior from Los Alamitos, Calif., is listed as a starter at both fullback and nose guard. Small is a returning starter at fullback who has jumped to the defensive side of the ball this fall. At 6-0 and 252 pounds, Small has the strength to hold up both ways. In his first college action along the defensive line, Small recorded five tackles and a sack while serving as a force at Kansas Wesleyan.
  • The quarterback battle has spilled over into the season. Last week Daberkow went with junior Riley Wiltfong as the starter. Attempting to inject some life into the offense, Daberkow gave Andrew Perea the bulk of the snaps in the second half. The two signal callers produced similar numbers. Wiltfong went 7-for-17 for 83 yards, a touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 44 yards on eight attempts. Meanwhile, Perea went 9-for-17 for 81 yards. Both quarterbacks took one sack.
  • The offense was hurt by the injuries to TJ Austin and record-breaking receiver Jared Garcia. Both were sidelined in week one. Both are hopeful of returning to the field in the near future. Garcia enters his senior season with career numbers of 140 catches, 2,188 receiving yards and 29 receiving touchdowns. His touchdown total is a school record while the other two figures are nearing program bests. In Garcia’s place, freshman Lane Castaneda enjoyed a productive day, catching eight passes for 89 yards. He reeled in an 18-yard touchdown strike from Wiltfong in the first quarter at Kansas Wesleyan.
  • Small is one of eight new starters on defense. The returning starters are senior defensive backs D’Mauria Martin and Tarence Roby and linebacker Kordell Glause. A completely new defensive line included Small, and ends Zach Jackson and Aaron Rudloff in the team’s 3-4 scheme. Joining Glause as backers were Terrell Pearson, Shane Scott and Derek Tachovsky. Martin has moved to one of two safety spots. The other safety is Nate Gilmore. Sebastian Garces lined up at corner opposite Roby, who thwarted a red zone drive with an interception.
  • The loss at Kansas Wesleyan snapped a string of four-straight years with a season opening victory for the program. The run included wins over three opponents on the road: William Jewell College (2013), Sterling College (2014) and Southwestern College (2015). The Bulldogs opened 2016 by defeating the University of Mary, 23-7, at home.
  • Concordia will make its 2017 home debut on Saturday when Ottawa University (0-1) pays a visit to Bulldog Stadium (1 p.m. CT kickoff). The Braves are coming off a 41-16 home loss to Northwestern this past weekend. Concordia and Ottawa also met last season in a contest that ended in a 34-23 Bulldog road win. In an added twist, former offensive coordinator Curran White now serves the same role for the Braves.

Volleyball

  • Bulldog fans have already had seven opportunities to watch Concordia play at home. Sixth-year head coach Scott Mattera’s squad played all five of its matches last week inside Walz Arena, going 3-2 with wins over NCAA Division II schools Chadron State College and Missouri Southern State University and NAIA member York College. The Bulldogs also suffered losses to No. 20 Bellevue University and the University of Saint Mary. Concordia now stands at 5-5 overall following a busy opening stretch. For more information on the Bulldog volleyball program, click HERE.
  • Mattera’s bunch has grown considerably since falling in straight sets to Baker University in the season opener back on Aug. 19. The Bulldogs were exceptionally close to pulling off a 5-0 week. They had three chances at match point in a five-set loss to nationally-ranked Bellevue and owned a 2-1 match lead in the defeat against Mary. Of the team’s five losses, three were came against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the national poll and another came at the hands of a NCAA DII squad (Mary).
  • Mattera figured there would be an adjustment phase after graduating one of the program’s most accomplished setters (Alayna Kavanaugh) and three hitters that combined for nearly 3,000 career kills (Paige Getz, Tiegen Skains, Taylor Workman). So far, Alex La Plant has emerged as the top weapon on the outside. The sophomore from Cypress, Texas, leads the team with 107 kills (.192 hitting percentage). She swatted a career high 18 kills in the loss to Bellevue and then added 49 more over the weekend at the Bulldog Bash.
  • In terms of efficiency, sophomore Emmie Noyd takes the cake. Unfortunately, an injury held her out of competition Sept. 1-2 at the weekend event. In 21 sets played this season, Noyd has mashed 52 kills on 105 swings and carries a .381 hitting percentage. She was named to the All-Viking Invitational team for her play at Missouri Valley College Aug. 25-26. She is another of the young Bulldogs being asked to shoulder a larger load in 2017.
  • In Kavanaugh’s place has stepped freshman Tara Callahan, an all-state performer from Brady High School. One of the biggest adjustments for Callahan is acclimating to the amped up level of competition as compared to Nebraska high school Class D-2. Callahan is a versatile player who can contribute in a variety of ways. In 38 sets, she’s accumulated 353 assists, 66 digs, 28 blocks, 24 kills and seven aces. Statistically, the best outing of her career came against Missouri Southern State when she piled up 51 assists, 10 digs and eight blocks in a four-set win.
  • Senior Annie Friesen is still rounding herself back into the form she showed as a sophomore when she earned first team all-conference accolades. That year she hit .374 and pounded 313 kills from the middle. So far in 2017, the native of Wichita, Kan., is hitting .279 with 54 kills and 32 blocks. She entered the week needing five more kills for 500 in her career. Friesen sat out all but one match last season due to a torn ACL.
  • It’s still early, but among GPAC teams, Concordia ranks fourth in blocks per set (2.2), seventh in aces per set (1.7), ninth in hitting percentage (.187), 10th in kills per set (11.9) and 10th in digs per set (12.8). The Bulldogs entered the week ranking 14th nationally in total blocks (84) and 33rd in blocks per set (2.2). Their 453 kills rank as the 30th highest total among all NAIA volleyball programs.
  • While Concordia has played three times against teams that at least received votes in the national poll, an even more challenging grind awaits. Based on the preseason rankings, the team’s next five matches are against GPAC squads ranked fourth, 15th, 13th, first and second. The first six conference matches are all against the teams picked ahead of the Bulldogs in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll.
  • The aforementioned grind begins Wednesday with a trip to fourth-ranked Midland (7-3), a national semifinalist in 2016. The Warriors have already tested themselves against five top 25 teams and went 2-3 in those matches. Midland started 0-3 before rattling off seven wins in a row, including triumphs over No. 17 University of Jamestown and No. 23 Carroll College. Wednesday’s varsity match will get started at 7:30 p.m. CT. Concordia will then have the weekend off.

Men’s Soccer

  • An unbeaten season carries on for 10th-year head coach Jason Weides’ program. The Bulldogs have claimed nonconference wins over Sterling College, York College and Concordia University, Chicago. As part of last week’s gathering of Concordias, CUNE also settled for a 1-1, 90-minute draw with Concordia University, Wisconsin. One of only two GPAC squads without a loss, the Bulldogs enter the week with a record of 3-0-1. For more information on Concordia men’s soccer, click HERE.
  • Weides appears to have a team more than capable of extending the program’s active streak of six-straight seasons with 10 or more wins. Only two others in the GPAC can make the same claim (Hastings and Midland). Since the start of the 2011 campaign, the Bulldogs own a rock solid record of 67-42-13. The past two seasons has produced the most postseason success with back-to-back appearances in the GPAC tournament championship game.
  • CUNE is breaking in a new goalkeeper, Jack Bennett, in 2017. The results so far have been pleasant. Through four games, only two opponent goals have come during the run of play. The Bulldogs even dodged bullets on Sept. 1 when Concordia-Chicago missed chances on two penalty kicks that came in succession. Bennett has played all 360 minutes in goal so far and owns a save percentage of .824 and a goals against average of 0.75.
  • In the early going, there has not been just one individual to emerge as a prolific goal scorer for the Bulldogs. Marcelo Herndandez and Toby Down are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece. Four others have exactly one goal: Carlos Ferrer, Micah Lehenbauer, Garrett Perry and Lewis Rathbone. Hernandez paced CUNE with eight goals in 2016. Both of Down’s goals have been game winners. Hernandez also has two assists.
  • Weides certainly believes his team should have more than the eight goals it has scored over four outings. The Bulldogs have had little problem creating chances. Among all NAIA teams, they rank 10th in shots per game (22.5) and 16th in shots on goal per game (10.5). However, they rate just 73rd nationally in terms of goals scored per game. The statistic reflects both bad luck and an inability (to this point) to finish. In the team’s 3-2 win over Sterling in the season opener, the Bulldogs had to sweat out the result despite owning a 31-4 advantage in shots.
  • From an individual standpoint, the shots have been distributed widely among many Bulldogs. Rathbone leads the team with 15 shots. He is followed by Ferrer (10), Hernandez (10), Lehenbauer (9), Down (7), Matthew Ho (7) and Perry (7). In terms of possession, CUNE has dominated its opponents, outnumbering them 90-29 in shots and 42-17 in shots on goal.
  • Bennett has just 14 saves because of the strong work of the back line that is anchored by the likes of seniors Luke Batters and first team All-GPAC performer Florian Caraballo. Among GPAC squads, Concordia currently ranks third for fewest goals allowed per game (0.75) behind Northwestern (0.4) and Morningside (0.67).
  • The Bulldogs are now expected to be one of the top four teams in the league. They placed third last season and earned the right to host in the GPAC quarterfinals. In the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll released in the middle of August, CUNE was picked third behind Hastings and Midland. The Bulldogs have gotten past Midland in the conference semifinals two years in a row.
  • It’s a lighter week ahead for Weides’ group, which has a mid-week bye before returning to action this Saturday with the second road trip of the young season. CUNE will travel to Lamoni, Iowa, and take on Graceland University (1-1-1) in a game that will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. The Bulldogs are looking to avenge last season’s 1-0 home loss that came against the Yellowjackets.

Women’s Soccer

  • It’s a great time to be a member of the Bulldog women’s soccer program. Fifth-year head coach Greg Henson’s squad has raced out to a 3-0-1 start with wins coming over Avila University, York College and Concordia University, Chicago. CUNE settled for a 90-minute, 0-0 draw with Concordia University, Wisconsin on Sept. 2 as part of the weekend event exclusively for Concordias. The Bulldogs are one of three GPAC schools that have yet to suffer a loss in 2017. For more information on Concordia women’s soccer, click HERE.
  • Other than the scoreless tie with CU-Wisconsin, CUNE has been dominant. It has outscored its opponents by a combined total of 14-2. The Bulldogs triumphed in their first three outings by margins of four goals each time. Despite being shut out by the Falcons, CUNE still ranks 34th nationally with an average of 3.5 goals per game. That figure is tied with Dordt for No. 1 in the GPAC.
  • Dating back to last season, Henson’s program has suffered just one loss over the past 13 games. During that stretch, the Bulldogs have gone 11-1-1 and have outscored their opponents by a combined total of 43-7. The lone defeat during that time period was a 2-0 loss to third-ranked Keiser University in the opening round of the national tournament. Since the start of the 2014 season, the Bulldogs have produced a record of 48-14-7 and have won two GPAC tournament titles.
  • Concordia has featured a balanced goal scoring attack. Named the GPAC offensive player of the week on Aug. 29, junior Maria Deeter leads the team with four goals thanks in large part to the hat trick she recorded in the season opening win over Avila University. Sophomore Sami Birmingham and freshman Katelyn Radebaugh have tallied two goals apiece. Six Bulldogs have found the back of the net exactly one time this season.
  • The goalkeeper battle between Linsey Carley and Jessica Knedler has continued into the season. Both players have started twice and have played 180 minutes each. Carley has been challenged the most. She has made 15 saves while allowing one goal. Knedler has made four saves and has allowed one goal. Both players have one shutout to their credit. The Bulldogs currently rank third in the GPAC in goals against average (0.50).
  • Henson has not been afraid to make liberal use of a talented freshman class. Rookies Chelsea Bright and Victoria Cera have started all four games. Four other freshmen have started at least once: Carrie Black, Jennika Chapman, Radebaugh and Michaela Twito. Additionally, freshman Sarah Wuthrich has seen action in every game.
  • Junior Taylor Roby has been one of the pleasant surprises of the early season. The Omaha native had played in 11 games over her first two years as a Bulldog. This fall camp Roby won a starting role as an outside back. Roby has already assisted on three goals.
  • The program’s run of dominance at home has continued in the early going. Concordia has defeated both Avila and York College at Bulldog Stadium. Since the beginning of 2014, the Bulldogs own a mark of 28-5-1 at home. During that same time period, Concordia has dropped just one nonconference home contest.
  • The Bulldogs will look to improve that home record on Wednesday (7 p.m. CT) when Bellevue University (1-2). The Bruins have played a difficult schedule that has seen them drop matches to No. 1 University of Northwestern Ohio, 5-0, and to Northwester, 1-0, in overtime. Then on Saturday, Concordia will travel to Lamoni, Iowa, for a road game at Graceland University (3-0-1), set for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff. The Bulldogs defeated the Yellowjackets, 1-0, in 2016.

Golf

  • The 2017-18 men’s and women’s golf seasons got underway last week. It was a busy stretch between Thursday and Saturday. The Concordia women got started on Aug. 31 with the first day of the two-day Mount Marty Fall Invite in Yankton, S.D., where the Bulldogs placed 13th as a team. On the men’s side, Concordia competed at the Midland Fall Invite (Sept. 1-2) and tied for fifth out of 15 squads. For more information on Bulldog golf: MEN | WOMEN.
  • The Concordia men, led by Nolan Zikas and his 14th-place finish, improved considerably from day one to day two at the Midland Invite. They chopped 14 strokes off their round one total (314-300–614) and moved up from eighth to fifth place on the final leaderboard. The team’s top four players also shot 76 or better on the second day. The average of 307.0 is slightly better than the 2016-17 squad’s final average of 308.18.
  • Zikas carded a score of 76-74–150. He was joined in the lineup by senior Russell Otten (77-76–153, T-19th), sophomore Tylar Samek (84-74–158, T-41st), freshman Kort Steele (82-76–158, T-41st) and senior Tyler Ehresman (79-88–167, T-66th). Three Bulldogs competed individually: junior Grant Suchanek (87-81–168, T-70th) and freshmen Harrison Helmer (89-82–171, 76th) and Jayden Neal (87-86–173, T-77th).
  • The women are moving on without 2016-17 GPAC champion Amy Ahlers. They have plenty of room for improvement after last week’s tournament. Concordia shot a 390-412–802. Last season its average score was 377.93 with a season low of 361.
  • Freshman Murphy Sears turned in the team’s top score with a 92-91–183 at the Mount Marty Invite, putting her in a tie for 39th place in a field of 82 golfers. The rest of the lineup included Payton DeMers-Sahling (98-110–208), Gabrielle Coviello (97-113–210), Madison Pitsch (110-101–211) and Paighton Barbre (103-110–213). In addition, two Bulldogs competed as individuals: Haley Nolde (98-98–196) and Rebecca Day (101-99–200). The tournament marked the college debuts of Coviello, Day and Nolde.
  • The men’s team is coming off a seventh place GPAC finish (300-343-324-314–1,281) in 2016-17. Meanwhile the women placed eighth in the conference (386-378-377-368–1,509). Ahlers, Sears and Zikas all collected all-conference awards as individuals.
  • Next up for the men’s team is the Siouxland Invite this Thursday and Friday. The first round will be held at The Ridge in Sioux Center, Iowa, before shifting to Landsmeer Golf Club in Orange City, Iowa, for round two. The event will be co-hosted by Dordt and Northwestern. The women have this week off but will return to action Sept. 11 for the Midland Invite at Fremont Golf Club.