SEWARD, Neb. – In a battle between NAIA top 20 teams, Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball showed grit in clawing back from a daunting deficit in set four, but it wasn’t to be. Visiting Dordt spoiled Halloween inside Friedrich Arena, winning in five, 20-25, 25-22, 16-25, 25-22, 15-9. The third-ranked Bulldogs hung within 9-8 in the fifth set before the 18th-ranked Defenders went on a 6-1 run to end it.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad had lost only one match since the calendar flipped to September. Concordia sits at 22-4 overall (13-2 GPAC) with one contest remaining in the regular season.
“We responded a little bit, but we can't start down 0-9 (in the fourth set),” Boldt said. “Dordt is a really good team, and they've been playing really well during the second half of the GPAC season. We knew this was going to be a tough match going in. We need to have that killer instinct and put teams away when we have the opportunity. It's awesome to be in this situation, and we've got to take this one and learn from it.”
Behind a strong outing from junior Shandy Fa’ali’i (team-high 17 kills), the Bulldogs actually outhit Dordt, .245 to .192. Statistically, the play of the Defender back row stood out. Dordt came up with 71 digs, helping it overcome a 14-5 disadvantage in blocking. The Defenders got stellar play from the likes of Kylie Beckering (19 digs) and Haley Wielenga (16 digs).
The victory represented the most significant one for the Dordt program in several years. Head Coach Jacki Smith’s squad held off a spirited push by Concordia in the fourth set. The Bulldogs dug out of a 9-0 hole and pulled within 22-21 via a Bella Hedke block. The Defenders dug and put away three kills to force the fifth set. Dordt (20-7, 11-4 GPAC) hit .304 in the final stanza.
Said Boldt, “I think we need to learn from this. We had good efficiency tonight when it came to our attacking, but we didn't kill the ball as much as Dordt did. We've got to stay aggressive, and I think that's part of the lesson to take away from this … We just need to continue to get better. We can't make any assumptions about what the outcome might be in any particular game. We've got to stay in the present and continue to be our best team as we move forward. We've got to clean it up and get sharp.”
Fa’ali’i hit .317 from the outside. She was joined in double figures in kills by teammates Samantha Kimbell (13) and Laynee Baker (10). Other statistical leaders included Myla Emery in assists (24), Kyla Griess in aces (three), Makenna Starkey in blocks (six) and the combo of Emery and Jenna Sladky in digs (eight apiece).
On the other side of the net, Shayna Van Dyken accumulated a match-high 18 kills. Wielenga landed three of the team’s eight aces. The victory places Dordt into a tie for third place in the GPAC standings. Concordia had already locked up a top-two seed prior to Saturday’s match.
The Bulldogs will wrap up the regular season on Tuesday night when Doane (4-24, 1-14 GPAC) makes a visit to Friedrich Arena. First serve of the varsity match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. Earlier this season, Concordia extended its series win streak over the Tigers to nine.