SEWARD, Neb. – Part II of the 2020-21 Concordia University Volleyball season is about to get underway. The 10th-ranked Bulldogs are getting set to host No. 24 Ottawa University (Kan.) at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday. Officially, Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad has not played a match since defeating Doane in straight sets at home back on Oct. 29. Concordia stands at 12-3 overall.
Match Info
(10) Concordia (12-3) vs. (24) Ottawa (23-6)
Wednesday, March 17 | 7 p.m.
Friedrich Arena | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 KTMX-FM Max Country
Commentator: Frank Greene
Fan policy: Fan attendance inside Friedrich Arena is limited to 50 percent of the venue’s capacity. Fans are required to wear masks. Advance tickets can be purchased online here: https://www.cune.edu/athletics/tickets. Tickets will also be sold on site on game day, provided capacity limits have not been reached through online sales.
The Bulldogs actually have yet to go up against a nonconference opponent this season. They had originally hoped to play at Bellevue University on March 3, but that match fell through. Back in the fall, Concordia placed third in the GPAC regular season standings. Based on the most recent NAIA coaches’ poll (March 10), the Bulldogs own three wins over top 25 opponents: No. 13 Dordt and No. 19 Midland (two). Concordia is one of five GPAC teams ranked in the top 25 (and other is receiving votes).
Over 15 matches, the team leaders for the Bulldogs in the major statistical categories include Kara Stark in kills (133 – 2.7/set), Tara Callahan in assists (552 – 11.0/set), Marissa Hoerman in digs (217 – 4.3/set), Gabi Nordaker in blocks (61 – 1.2/set) and hitting percentage (.287) and Tristin Mason in aces (27 – 0.5/set). All-GPAC honors went to Callahan (first team), Camryn Opfer (second team), Nordaker (second team), Arleigh Costello (honorable mention) and Hoerman (honorable mention). As a team, Concordia sports national rankings of ninth in aces per set (2.16), 21st in kills per set (13.22), 26th in hitting percentage (.220) and 29th in blocks per set (2.16).
During the GPAC era (2000-present), the Bulldogs have appeared in the NAIA top 25 in six separate seasons. Prior to the No. 10 ranking achieved this spring, Concordia’s highest ever poll position was 12th during its co-GPAC championship run in 2000. During the 1990s, the Bulldogs also climbed as high as 14th in 1999 and 16th in 1995. The 2019 squad that reached the NAIA national round of 16 checked in at No. 14 in the postseason poll.
A member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Braves have been busy during the second semester. They have gone 13-3 since starting back up on Jan. 30. Ottawa earned a breakthrough five-set win over then 11th-ranked Central Methodist University (Mo.) on Feb. 22. More recently, Head Coach Melissa Blessington’s squad took on No. 13 Dordt and was beaten in four sets in Sioux Center, Iowa, on March 12. The star attacker for the Braves is Ayona Tharps, who sports NAIA national rankings of eighth in blocks (92) and 13th in kills (320).
The Bulldogs are also scheduled to play another ranked opponent on Saturday, March 27 when they are slated to visit 11th-ranked Grand View University (Iowa). First serve is set for 4:30 p.m. CT from Des Moines, Iowa. The GPAC tournament is also on the horizon with the quarterfinals coming up on April 3.