SEWARD, Neb. – The Flames blazed out of the gates before the third-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball team regrouped and rediscovered the grit required to prevail. The Bulldogs got a match-high 15 kills from sophomore Makenna Starkey, who helped lead the home team to a four-set win, 21-25, 25-20, 25-17, 26-24, on Saturday (Sept. 12). It was a defensive battle as Concordia owned an advantage in hitting percentage, .150 to .093, over College of Saint Mary.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad completed a 2-0 run at home in its opening week of conference play. The Bulldogs stand at 11-2 overall on the strength of back-to-back wins over in-state GPAC rivals.
Explained Boldt, “With the match that we had previously, where we played really well, it can be easy to kind of not have a breakdown, but just not play as well in that next match. That was something coming into this where we really wanted to prepare. We call it ‘GPAC championship focus,’ and just being able to do that is easier said than done. Against a scrappy team like College of Saint Mary, it's difficult. We got back to a mentality of ‘gritty before pretty,’ and I think that's kind of what that match looked like.”
Indeed, the latest victory saw Concordia overcome a rough start and then narrowly fend off the Flames’ push for a fifth set. In the fourth frame, the Flames edged in front, 23-22, on an Azaria Green kill. Moments later, the Bulldogs broke a 24-24 deadlock with a kill apiece from Samantha Kimbell and Shandy Fa’ali’i, assisted by freshman Myla Emery. For match point, Fa’ali’i went across court for a kill from a challenging angle.
On an afternoon when the hitting percentages were substandard, Starkey’s performance in the middle proved pivotal. The Minden High School alum needed only 23 attempts to rack up 15 kills. She was also a menace defensively, contributing to six of the team’s nine blocks. Bella Hedke also added nine kills and two blocks in a fine effort of her own at the net.
Starkey continues to grow as she gains experience. Said Starkey of how the team responded to the opening set, “I think a lot of it was cleaning up our defense, our serve receive and our serve. That helps a lot and gets us in system, and I think we did a tremendous job of that in the next sets for sure … My setters have been doing such a good job. We kind of have to adjust my set a little bit, and they did a really good job adjusting to that. I owe it all to them.”
Said Boldt of Starkey, “She came in clutch for us towards the end. I think on a night when maybe our outsides weren't playing as well, we have other people that can step up, and Starkey did a great job with that … Just really making herself available is something that we're continuing to work on, and I thought she did an awesome job with it tonight.”
CSM (12-4, 2-1 GPAC) has the look of an improved squad in year 10 of Rick Pruett’s head coaching tenure. The Flames opened the first set with a 12-5 surge. They got a team high 10 kills from Briar Ray. A star in the middle, Green registered nine kills and five blocks. Elen Pruett posted 16 digs in the back.
Fa’ali’i reached double figures in kills (13) and digs (10). Other statistical leaders were Emery in assists (21), Jenna Saldky in digs (17) and Fa’ali’i in aces (two). Laynee Baker added three blocks. Sladky did the honors of ringing the bell to celebrate the win.
The season’s first GPAC road match is coming up on Wednesday when the Bulldogs will make a trip to Yankton, S.D., for a matchup with Mount Marty (8-9, 0-3 GPAC). First serve is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT from Cimpl Arena. Through their first three outings of conference play, the Lancers have been defeated by Doane, Hastings and Midland.