MITCHELL, S.D. – Chalk it up as one of the better road performances of the 2025 season for the fourth-ranked Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball team. Other than a tight second set, the Bulldogs exerted control all afternoon while taking out Dakota Wesleyan, 25-15, 25-22, 25-17, in Mitchell, S.D., on Saturday (Oct. 18). Ella Waters smoldered on the attack and the Bulldog block played a key role in limiting the Tigers to an .079 hitting percentage.
Head Coach Ben Boldt’s squad completed a dominant week on the road within the GPAC. Concordia now stands at 18-2 overall (11-1 GPAC).
“We’re really coming around to this mentality of earning our points,” Boldt said. “I was really proud of Ella Waters today. She came in and hit 1.000 in the first set. That was really cool to see. I think that set the tone for the match. We came in focused and we had some purpose. It’s been that way this past week altogether.”
Saturday’s opening set went about as well as the Bulldogs could have scripted it. Waters went a perfect 5-for-5 on the attack in the first set as Concordia outhit DWU, .300 to -.028. The Tigers finished the first set with more attack errors (nine) compared to kills (eight). Spurred by reigning GPAC Setter of the Week Kayleigh Hybertson, DWU gave Concordia a strong push in the second set with 13 kills and a .200 hitting percentage. The Bulldogs put it away when Addie Kirkegaard floored a kill for set point.
Unlike much of the GPAC, the Tigers (13-9, 7-5 GPAC) employ a single setter system. Concordia had it scouted well as it piled up 11 blocks (compared to just one for DWU). The ringleaders at the net for the Bulldogs included Molli Martin (six blocks), Waters (five blocks) and Ava Greene (four blocks). It was an all-around fine performance for Waters, who finished with nine kills on the strength of a .467 hitting percentage.
All-American Ashley Keck led Concordia in both kills (11) and digs (20). Outside of Keck and Waters, four other Bulldogs produced at least five kills: Kya Scott (six), Kirkegaard (five), Greene (five) and Martin (five). Additional statistical leaders included Savanna Shelburne in assists (24) and both Shelburne and Keck in aces (one apiece).
Dakota Wesleyan (13-9, 7-5 GPAC) has been ranked as high as No. 24 this season in the NAIA coaches’ poll. The Tigers, who carried a four-match win streak into the day, got a team-high 11 kills from Karly VanDerWerff on Saturday. They have fallen in each of the past five meetings with the Bulldogs.
Said Boldt, “They give us a different challenge because they do run that one-setter system and they run the slide attack behind the setter really well. I thought our left front, Ashley and Kya, did a really good job of setting up the block. We had a couple of stuff blocks early on their slide attack. That was another tone-setter for the match. We set up our defense around that. Those types of wins when we’re controlling and earning our points are the ones that get me fired up. Really proud of them. I think that their pregame was good, and I thought their communication was great.”
In their next outing, the Bulldogs will return to Friedrich Arena to host Mount Marty (10-12, 3-8 GPAC) at 7:30 p.m. CT (varsity) on Wednesday. In this season’s first meeting held in Yankton, S.D., Concordia toppled the Lancers in straight sets. The Bulldogs have won each of the past 24 matchups with Mount Marty.