SEWARD, Neb. – After a No. 1 seed falter, the No. 2-seeded Bulldogs are the highest remaining, but will host a talented No. 3 Hastings on Saturday (Nov. 8) for the GPAC Semifinals. Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Soccer defeated College of Saint Mary in its opening match of the postseason. CUNE is on a seven-game unbeaten streak and is 8-0-3 inside Bulldog Stadium in 2025.
Next Match
GPAC Semifinals: Saturday, Nov. 8 vs. No. 3 Hastings (13-3-3), 6 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
--Admission: $10 for adults/senior citizens, $3 for K-12; only those with NAIA passes and GPAC student ID’s are admitted free of charge.
Concordia finds confidence in the program's past postseason success in recent years. Over the previous 12 GPAC tournaments, the Bulldogs have reached at least the semifinals 10 times and have played in the championship game seven times (five straight years from 2014 through 2018) out of 11. The program celebrated GPAC postseason championships in 2014, 2016 and 2020. Coach Smith has gone 4-2 in his tournament runs but will look to go further in his third showing. Concordia will rely on 12 experienced seniors, including Savannah Andrews, Kierstynn Garner, Niah Kirchner, Shelby Rugg, Elena Ruiz, Taylor Slaymaker and more.
The senior class is filled with talented players who have made a true impact on the record books and the program. It includes Abigail Allen, Niah Kirchner, Savannah Andrews, Sierra Springer, Selah Draper, Ashlee Trujillo, Elena Ruiz, Hannah Kile, Shelby Rugg, Kierstynn Garner and Augustine Abshagen. The fourth-year players have made up 31 of the 56 goals scored and 26 of the 45 assists. Garner headlines the class with 68 career scores (2nd in program), 30 assists (4th), 166 points (2nd) and 23 game-winning goals (1st). Andrews has 30 scores and 13 assists in her career, with Ruiz having nine goals and seven assists. Slaymaker (four goals) is tied for 5th in games played (81) and has 71 career game starts, with Kirchner playing in 79 games.
It took only six minutes for the Bulldogs to be up 2-0 on College of Saint Mary. Evie Keller got the Dawgs rolling with a called ‘wonder strike’ by her coach in the postgame interview. Savannah Andrews, only minutes later, whipped a ball into the top far corner. Taylor Slaymaker would score in the second half with two different assists coming from Kierstynn Garner. Concordia would stay on the attack for a majority of the game, earning a 17-5 shot advantage. Aliya Vidro grabbed three saves totaling four complete clean sheets in 2025.
Seeing only one defeat, the Bulldogs are on track to have the least losing seasons in the program’s history. With a 13-1-5 overall record (7-1-3 GPAC), Concordia currently has the least amount of losses going into the postseason with its one loss coming from 2025 GPAC regular season champion Morningside. The Bulldogs have defeated quality teams including a then-ranked No. 4 Columbia College (Mo.), Kansas Wesleyan University and Hastings. Concordia tied top-NAIA competition in No. 20 University of Science and Arts (Okla.) and Bellevue. The 2017 Bulldogs posted a 15-2-4 record with two losses in the early non-conference, which is currently the best for the program.
In the first meeting versus Hastings, Charli Preister’s game-winner was a one-touch slam into the goal with the assist by Kyana Rios. The midfield was persistent on the backs of Niah Kirchner, Elena Ruiz, Keller and Preister allowing only three shots on goal in full time. After getting down early, the veterans Andrews and Garner linked up as the Kearney, Neb., native, tied the game up (1-1) in the first frame. Concordia boasted an edge in shots (14-10) and corner kicks (6-3).
With an offense that leads the conference, the Bulldogs have 56 goals scored and are ahead of all competition, with 10 more than any team. With 2.95 goals scored per game, Concordia has 45 assists and 157 total points, pacing the GPAC. The attack has a .162 shot percentage on 18.2 shots per game. The leading finishers in the attack are Garner (19), Kyana Rios (nine), Lupe Sanchez (seven), Charli Preister (five) and Savannah Andrews (five). Garner (12) and Andrews (five) lead in assists.
After a new RPI rating coming out on Nov. 3, the Bulldogs sit in 37th with a 3-0-2 against teams near them in the NAIA ratings system. CUNE has defeated Hastings (35), Columbia College (Mo.) (26), and Kansas Wesleyan University (45), also tied USAO (Okla.) (7) and Bellevue University (41). Concordia has the 86th strength of schedule ranking with three GPAC squads inside the top 60 (in RPI). Hastings and Morningside (59) complete the top conference teams with the Broncos having a high 42 SOS rank. The third ARC rankings were released yesterday, and the Bulldogs were ranked No. 6 in the Midwest region in the last release.
The opponent
The Broncos are 13-3-3 going into the semifinal going unbeaten in their last five and winning their last three. In the quarterfinals, Hastings defeated No. 6 Dakota Wesleyan (2-0) to advance. After a scoreless first half, the Broncos found two goals in six minutes via Payton Tanner and Sophia Lee. The Broncos sit in the pack just behind Concordia with 45 goals scored on 35 assists. Madison Rhodes is out front for Hastings with nine in the back of the net and 21 overall points. Tanner and Avery Higgins are behind her with six each. Scoring 2.37 goals per game, the Broncos shoot 17 chances per 90 minutes and allow 0.63 goals per game (conference low). Goalkeeper Tatiana Villasenor has spent 1,416 minutes between the posts and allowed 10 goals (GPAC low) in that span. With 66 saves, Villasenor has an .868 save ratio and .64 goals against average, both lead the conference.
GPAC tournament pairings
Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Nov. 4
(8) Mount Marty def. (1) Morningside, 1-1 (3-2 PK’s)
(4) Dordt def. (5) Doane, 2-0
(3) Hastings def. (6) Dakota Wesleyan, 2-0
(2) Concordia def. (7) College of Saint Mary, 3-0
Semifinals – Saturday, Nov. 8
(8) Mount Marty at (4) Dordt, 5 p.m.
(3) Hastings at (2) Concordia, 6 p.m.
Championship – Wednesday, Nov. 12
Highest remaining seed hosts, time TBA