SEWARD, Neb. – This is a big one as far as regular season matches go. Two teams with GPAC championship aspirations will go head-to-head in Fremont on Wednesday in what figures to be an amped-up environment inside the Wikert Event Center. The 10th-ranked Concordia University Volleyball team has shifted its focus to No. 2 Midland, whose résumé includes a victory over No. 1 Missouri Baptist University. Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad enters the match at 10-0 after a 5-0 week.
Said Boldt, “I think that’s going to be a knock-down, drag-out type of battle. That’s what we play for.”
This Week
Wednesday, Sept. 7 at No. 2 Midland (11-1, 1-0 GPAC), 7:30 p.m.
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*No match this weekend
By the numbers
· While going 5-0 last week, the Bulldogs defeated Hastings in three sets, No. 9 Viterbo University (Wis.) in three sets, Presentation College (S.D.) in three sets, Dakota State University (S.D.) in four sets and Evangel University (Mo.) in four sets. Concordia’s attacking prowess was on full display last week as it averaged 14.12 kills per set and hit .295 over the five victories. Meanwhile, Bulldog opponents hit .150 with an average of 11.0 kills per set. On the national leaderboard, Concordia ranks sixth in kills per set (13.77) and seventh in hitting percentage (.269).
· The program has started a season at 10-0 or better for the fourth time during the GPAC era. The other extended unbeaten runs were 18-0 in 2005, 12-0 in 2019 and 12-0 in 2018. Ben and Angie Boldt also guided the ’18 and ’19 teams. Currently, there are four other NAIA volleyball programs that are undefeated with at least 10 wins: William Carey (Miss.) (12-0), Mount Vernon Nazarene (Kan.) (11-0), College of Saint Mary (10-0) and Southern Assemblies of God (Texas (10-0).
· Over last week’s action, five Concordia hitters racked up 37 or more kills: Gabi Nordaker (55), Camryn Opfer (54), Ashley Keck (43), Carly Rodaway (39) and Kalee Wiltfong (37). As the quarterback of the attack, Bree Burtwistle averaged 11.29 assists per set with 192 total assists for the week. In the back row, Rebecca Gebhardt totaled 78 digs.
· Burtwistle has made the transition at setter appear seamless. The Stanton, Neb., native and Midland transfer currently ranks sixth in the NAIA in assists per set (10.80). Her 378 overall assists put her at No. 11 among NAIA setters. Also on the national leaderboard, Nordaker ranks 19th in hitting percentage (.348) and Gebhardt ranks 58th in digs per set (4.69). Opfer is hitting .234, a phenomenal percentage for an outside hitter. During the 2019 season, Burtwistle split time at setter for Midland with Warrior All-American setter Hope Leimbach. Leimbach’s parents are Concordia graduates.
· Opfer will go down as one of the top players in program history. Her first kill in last week’s win over Viterbo marked the 1,000th of her career. Opfer became just the fourth player in school history to record both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs for a career. Her career totals now stand at 1,060 digs, 1,044 kills, 138 blocks and 52 aces in 97 matches. On the program’s all-time lists, Opfer resides in seventh place for kills and eighth place for digs. Also last week, Opfer moved past Claire White (1,033 kills) on the all-time list.
· Overall this season, the team statistical leaders are Nordaker in kills (110) and blocks (24), Burtwistle in assists (378), Gebhardt and Ashlyn Wischmeier in aces (10 apiece) and Gebhardt in digs (164). Five Bulldogs have totaled at least 65 kills in 2022: Nordaker, Opfer (96), Rodaway (92), Keck (89) and Wiltfong (65).
The opponent
There’s no doubt – Midland has been a major player on both the GPAC and national scenes under Head Coach Paul Giesselmann, who took over in his current role in 2010. His record since then stands at 287-110 overall (entering 2022). During the 2020 season, Giesselmann led the program to a national runner-up claim. The most decorated players on the roster are returning All-Americans in setter Hope Leimbach and outside hitter Taliyah Flores. Leimbach entered the week ranked third nationally in assists per set (11.46). As part of a challenging schedule, Midland has defeated No. 1 Missouri Baptist, No. 4 Park, No. 9 Viterbo and No. 10 Providence. The one loss came in three sets at the hands of No. 12 Eastern Oregon.
Next week
A couple more in-state GPAC matches are coming up as Concordia will be at Doane on Sept. 14 before returning home to host No. 18 College of Saint Mary on Sept. 17. The tussle with CSM will take place during homecoming weekend on campus.