HASTINGS, Neb. – Roughly a month earlier, an improved Hastings squad took the third-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball team to the wire in five sets. The Bulldogs were ready for the Broncos on Wednesday (Oct. 28). Shandy Fa’ali’i flourished from the opening serve and helped lead the visitors to a sweep, 25-18, 25-16, 25-22, inside Lynn Farrell Arena. Crisp passing propelled Concordia past rival Hastings.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad kept pace near the summit of the GPAC standings and has clinched a top-two seed for the upcoming GPAC tournament. The Bulldogs (22-3, 13-1 GPAC) also earned a season sweep of the Broncos.
“Efficient is a good word for it,” said Boldt of his team’s latest performance. “I thought our passing was very good, and that's something we've been intentional about over the last week or week and a half. We've emphasized calling the ball and eliminating hesitation, making sure we're finishing the contact. We really want to finish that play and follow through on the contact, and I thought we did a great job of that tonight. When that happens, our offense is really good.”
Hastings put away the first three points of the opening set, but it was all Concordia the rest of the way. While staying in system, Bulldog setters Ella Brueggemann and Myla Emery found Fa’ali’i for six of her match-high 13 kills in the first frame. Five other teammates registered at least four kills in a clean outing. Concordia committed just eight attack errors while avoiding the Bronco front row (two team blocks).
On the other side, Hastings was flustered into 21 attack errors and 10 service errors. The Broncos hit .110 for the night while struggling the Bulldog middles and right sides. The blocking efforts of Concordia were paced by Bella Hedke (five), Maddie Paulsen (four), Laynee Baker (three), Samantha Kimbell (three) and Makenna Starkey (three). In the back row, libero Jenna Sladky starred with 19 digs. Sladky notched one of the team’s two aces on the night.
Spurred by the likes of Mikah O’Neill and Makenna Stutter (11 and 10 kills, respectively), Hastings (16-7, 8-6 GPAC) made a run at the Bulldogs in the third set. The Broncos cut a 22-16 deficit to 24-22. For match point, Kimbell floored a kill, extending Concordia’s series win streak to 14.
Overall, this was one of the Bulldogs’ stronger performances of the season. The Bulldogs hit .315 while outnumbering Hastings in kills, 42-34, digs, 57-49, and blocks, 11-2.
Said Boldt, “The block seemed like it was there all night. We were forcing them into errors because we were taking away more shots down the line against their outside hitters. Their outsides can really get hot, so you have to have a disciplined block to squeeze down the court and take those options away. Laynee Baker does an awesome job out there. It's hard to get the ball around her.”
On Halloween Saturday, the Bulldogs will welcome No. 18 Dordt (19-7, 10-4 GPAC) to Friedrich Arena for a 4 p.m. CT varsity first serve. The Defenders strengthened their national tournament résumé on Wednesday evening with a home sweep of Waldorf. Concordia defeated Dordt last season in a competitive straight sets match.