SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Those who have watched Concordia University Volleyball all season have seen a team grow up quickly. There’s a calm confidence that permeates the Bulldogs whenever they find themselves in tight matches. It also helps to have Camryn Opfer on your side. Opfer mashed 21 kills, including one for match point as No. 19 Concordia edged second-ranked Viterbo, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18, 22-25, 15-11, with a spot in the NAIA National Championship quarterfinals on the line on Wednesday (Dec. 1).
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has grown accustomed to winning at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, home to the final site of the national tournament. The Bulldogs won the NAIA’s Pool B thanks to victories over No. 25 Oregon Tech and Viterbo.
“You have to earn it. It’s not going to be given to you,” said Boldt of the latest five-set battle. “We talked to them about enjoying the battle. There was a point in time where it looked like we were taking control in the third set into the fourth set and they got back into it. In those moments, we talked about being true to our training and doing it together – enjoy that battle. It was a fun match.”
Considering the stage and what was at stake, this was an all-timer of a performance for Opfer, who racked up 21 kills while hitting an otherworldly .514 from the outside. The Seward High School product also notched 16 digs as part of a defensive effort that limited one of the nation’s most prolific attacks to a .138 hitting percentage. North Star Athletic Association Player of the Year Miah Garant hit .167 (12 kills, six errors) while contending with the reach of Bulldog middle Gabi Nordaker (13 blocks).
The bench for Concordia reached a fever pitch during a third set that saw the Bulldogs rattle off 11-straight points, turning a 12-12 tie into a 23-12 lead. Opfer and Rodaway (17 kills) pounded away from the pins while being set by Tara Callahan (37 assists) and Bree Burtwistle (15 assists). Callahan’s passing (team high 19 digs) also helped the Bulldogs earn a 7-1 lead in the fourth set.
With its own season on the line, Viterbo (39-2) persevered, roared back to win the fourth set and owned a 5-1 lead in the fifth. This was familiar territory for Concordia, which has now played in 11 five-set matches this season. With the fifth knotted 11-11, the Bulldogs rose to the occasion and put up the final four points of the match. Boldt credited the serving of Kennedy VanScoy down the stretch for making life difficult on the V-Hawks. Fittingly, it was Opfer who clinched the victory.
Said Opfer, “We knew from the beginning we were going to come out strong. I’m just so proud of every single one of us. We all did our part. Right before the first point of the game, we were like, ‘If we each do our part, we got this.’ I’m just so proud of everyone.”
Headed to the national quarterfinals for the second season in a row, Concordia hit .220 on Wednesday and owned a significant advantage in blocks, 17-9. On the attack, Erica Heinzerling added eight kills and Arleigh Costello contributed seven. Heinzerling also got in on six blocks. Across the net, Maya Roberts paced Viterbo with 18 kills. Viterbo had not tasted defeat since its four-set loss to Midland on Aug. 28.
Named to the 2020 National Championship All-Tournament Team, Opfer enjoys the pressure that comes with big moments. Said Boldt, “That’s who Cam is. Sometimes the matchup works for her, sometimes it doesn’t. There was a lot of gameplay between our coaching staff and Viterbo’s coaching staff when it comes to starting rotations, and that figures into how they’re matched up. Cam got put in a good spot, and she did the rest. That’s who Cam is. It’s no surprise to us.”
The Bulldogs will quickly turn around and play in the NAIA national quarterfinals at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday. As of early Wednesday afternoon, Concordia’s opponent remained up in the air. It will play the winner of Pool G, home to Marian (Ind.), Midland and Montana Tech.
After receiving a Gatorade bath courtesy of the players, Boldt let his team know it has to refocus. Said Boldt, “It was an awesome celebration and it was fun to be in that moment. After that I said, ‘Good work, ladies, it only gets tougher from here.’”