SEWARD, Neb. – The service game of Concordia University, Nebraska has a tendency to tie the opposition in knots. Back-to-back aces to kick off the night proved to be a harbinger of what was to come. In the first of two matches on the weekend, the second-ranked Bulldogs rolled up a 25-15, 25-20, 29-27, win over visiting Briar Cliff on Friday (Oct. 2). Concordia torpedoed the Chargers with eight aces in its return to Friedrich Arena.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad exerted control over a foe that took it to five sets in Sioux City last season. The Bulldogs (16-2, 7-0 GPAC) extended their winning streak to 10.
It took a team approach as Concordia showcased its depth on Friday. Said Boldt, “A big part of having a championship year is having depth and being able to have anybody step up when their name is called. We call them our “MRs” group — the middles and rights. That group has a lot of camaraderie, and they have each other’s backs all day. When Dani (Martin) came in, everybody was ready to go. It was, ‘All right, let’s do this.’”
Briar Cliff entered the match ranked 11th nationally in blocks per set (2.30), but Concordia had an answer. The host roared out of the gates with a 6-0 run, ignited by the service of Myla Emery. The freshman from Minden, Neb., rocketed back-to-back aces on the first two points of the night. Execution at the service line simplified the rest of the operation for the Bulldogs, who finished with a commanding advantage in hitting percentage, .279 to .131.
To their credit, the Chargers made adjustments (and fought back with their own strong service) that put them on the brink of snagging the third set. Briar Cliff enjoyed a 23-20 lead and had three different set-point opportunities thwarted by Concordia. Knotted at 27-27, Maddie Paulsen came through with a kill before Bella Hedke and Danica Martin combined to punctuate the evening with a block.
The comeback in the third set is something the Bulldogs can build upon when tension-filled moments arise in future matches. Said Emery, “Coach Ben talked about how we needed to get back to competing. ‘The joy to compete’ is something we talked about a lot. We got a little loose throughout that third set, so we dialed back in and were all fighting.”
Added Emery of the team’s approach at the service line, “We’re being aggressive, but we’re still being smart with it.”
Emery finished with 19 assists, nine digs and three aces while teaming up with Ella Brueggemann (17 assists / two aces) at the setter position. They distributed the ball effectively as four Bulldogs recorded at least seven kills: Samantha Kimbell (nine), Hedke (eight), Shandy Fa’ali’i (seven) and Maddie Paulsen (seven). Paulsen needed only eight attempts to put up her seven kills.
Concordia won the blocking battle, 10-7, over a Briar Cliff (10-8, 1-6 GPAC) team led in that department by middle Aubrey Hoeft (three blocks on Friday). Hedke posted five blocks and Martin came off the bench to deny four Charger attacks. Martin filled in and provided a spark after Laynee Baker was hobbled in the second set. Martin did the honors of ringing the bell. In addition, Lanie Brott supplied nine digs, equaling Emery for a team high.
Said Boldt, “I thought we were aggressive when we needed to be, and we managed the ball when we needed to. We need to continue to keep the gas pedal down all the way through the finish. That’s the challenge. In the GPAC, you can’t make assumptions. Anything can happen.”
The Bulldogs will be right back in action on Saturday for an NAIA top 15 matchup with No. 14 Morningside (17-3, 6-1 GPAC) beginning at 3 p.m. CT. In the first leg of a challenging weekend road trip, the Mustangs outlasted No. 15 Midland in five sets on Friday night. Concordia has won eight consecutive meetings versus Morningside. Prior to Saturday's match, the Bulldogs will honor a group of four seniors.