SEWARD, Neb. – Following eight nonconference clashes to begin the 2025 season, the Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball team has an opportunity to take a breath before getting on that GPAC grind. The fourth-ranked Bulldogs are in the process of learning and growing after enduring their first defeat of the campaign. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad went 3-1 at the College of Saint Mary Labor Day Classic (Aug. 29-30) while moving the overall season record to 7-1. At the largescale event in Omaha, Concordia defeated Ottawa University (Kan.), No. 16 Viterbo University (Wis.) and Bethel College (Kan.). In the showdown with No. 5 Eastern Oregon University, the Bulldogs fell in straight sets. The focus now turns to Saturday’s GPAC opener at Mount Marty.
This Week
Saturday, Sept. 6 at Mount Marty (6-2, 0-0 GPAC), 3 p.m.
--Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Cimpl Arena (Yankton, S.D.)
By the numbers
· A new set of NAIA national rankings will be released on Wednesday when the first coaches’ poll of the regular season is unveiled. Concordia figures to retain a top five ranking thanks to a strong 7-1 record achieved while up against a challenging nonconference slate featuring three NAIA top 25 opponents and two foes listed in the receiving votes category. The Bulldogs boast wins over No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan University, No. 16 Viterbo University (Wis.) and “receiving votes” teams in Columbia College (Mo.) and MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.). According to Massey Ratings, Eastern Oregon and Concordia are the current top two teams in the NAIA. Massey Ratings lists the Bulldogs as having played the NAIA’s 15th toughest schedule to this point.
· Concordia played at the CSM Labor Day Classic for the fourth consecutive season. At this year’s event held at the Lied Fitness Center Fieldhouse on the CSM campus, the Bulldogs earned wins over Ottawa, 25-18, 26-24, 17-25, 25-13, No. 16 Viterbo, 29-27, 25-16, 25-23, and Bethel, 23-25, 25-20, 25-15, 25-19, before a loss in the showdown with Eastern Oregon, which took it in straight sets, 25-19, 25-18, 25-21. From a team perspective, Concordia held cumulative advantages over its CSM Classic opponents of 188-170 in kills, 221-218 in digs and 35-23 in blocks. The Bulldogs also outhit their foes, .229 to .143. Individual leaders over the weekend were Ashley Keck in kills (51), Lily Psencik in assists (85), Kate Griess in aces (five), Shandy Faalii in digs (55) and Ava Greene in blocks (17).
· Returning NAIA First Team All-American Ashley Keck set a new career-high with her 23 kills in the win over Bethel. A recent addition to the program’s 1,000-kill club, Keck was named the GPAC Attacker of the Week on Aug. 26 and is the current conference leader for kills per set (4.08). On the season, Keck has totaled 106 kills (.260 hitting percentage), 104 digs, 13 blocks and five aces. Keck is beginning to close in on another milestone as her career dig total has reached 877 to go along with 1,085 career kills. Her accolades last season also included the GPAC Attacker of the Year award and NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team selection.
· Keck is one of three Bulldogs with more than 50 kills on the season. The next highest totals come from Ella Waters (63) and Laynee Baker (52). Other season statistical leaders are Lily Psencik in assists (163), Kate Griess in aces (eight), Shandy Faalii in digs (110) and Molli Martin in blocks (33). On the GPAC leaderboards, Keck ranks first in kills per set (4.08) and fifth in digs per set (4.0), Martin ranks third in blocks per set (1.43) and fourth in hitting percentage (.344), Lily Psencik ranks fourth in assists per set (6.27) and Ava Greene ranks fifth in blocks per set (1.23).
· Within the 6-2 system that Concordia runs, it has used three different setters throughout the first eight matches. Those setters have been Lily Psencik (6.27 assists/set), Ella Brueggemann (5.23 assists/set) and Savannah Shelburne (5.33 assists/set). They have helped facilitate an attack that is hitting .214 while averaging 13.34 kills per set (No. 1 in the GPAC). Psencik was named GPAC Setter of the Week on Aug. 26 following the 3-0 run at the Power Quad in Marion, Ind.
· Ava Greene and Molli Martin are major reasons why the Bulldogs rank fifth nationally in blocks per set (2.72). Known for its attacking prowess in recent seasons, Concordia has been stout defensively in 2025. Opposing teams have been held to an .092 hitting percentage and 10.62 kills per set. Both Shandy Faalii (110) and Ashley Keck (104) have surpassed 100 digs on the year.
· Based on the coaches’ poll, the Bulldogs enter conference play as the GPAC favorite. Under the direction of the Boldts, Concordia has placed third or better in the GPAC in five of the past six seasons and has reached the GPAC Championship Match in four straight years. Over the past two seasons, the Bulldogs have gone a combined 29-3 in GPAC regular season matches. The 2023 squad shared the GPAC regular season crown with Jamestown and Northwestern. In the GPAC era (2000-present), the Bulldogs have won two GPAC regular season titles (2000 and 2023) but are still searching for their first GPAC tournament championship (runner up five times).
The opponents
Mount Marty has raised its competitive level in recent years, going from 10-21 in 2023 to 12-15 in 2024. The Lancers hope to continue their upward trajectory with Head Coach Sophia Paes in her second season at the helm. Mount Marty has started this season at 6-2 after going 3-1 in two separate weekend events – one in Milwaukee, Wis., and one in Oskaloosa, Iowa. The Lancers return two Honorable Mention All-GPAC players from last season: sophomore middle hitter Caitlin Guenther and senior outside hitter Julia Weber. Guenther currently ranks third in the GPAC in hitting percentage (.377). As a team, Mount Marty is hitting .242 with an average of 11.86 kills per set. Before hosting Concordia on Saturday, the Lancers will play at Morningside on Wednesday. The Bulldogs have won each of the past 23 series meetings versus Mount Marty.
Next week
In a long-awaited return to Friedrich Arena, the Bulldogs will host College of Saint Mary on Wednesday, Sept. 10. That in-state matchup will be the only outing of next week.