SEWARD, Neb. – Fittingly, music blared from an on-campus beginning-of-the-school-year party as Head Coach Nick Smith delivered his postgame rhetoric to his Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Soccer team. Smith resisted the urge to do “The Wobble” dance, but he couldn’t hide a smile. To top off the opening week of the 2025 season, the Bulldogs slayed No. 4 Columbia College, 3-1, inside Bulldog Stadium on Saturday (Aug. 23). The 2024 national semifinalist Cougars represented the highest ranked opponent ever defeated by a Concordia women’s soccer team.
Smith’s squad is due some national respect after having also drawn with No. 23 University of Science and Arts (Okla.) two days earlier. It’s early, but this was a result to be savored.
“I think it’s a huge step forward for our group in terms of where our self-belief is,” Smith said. “I’ve maintained that we’ve got a lot of talent within this squad. It’s about performing in the big games and some of the big games in the past for us have been really difficult – one of them being last year at Columbia. We knew that when we had them early on the schedule this year that we just wanted to have a good performance … Today for me really solidified the belief and leadership that we have within this group. It feels really good to stand here and say that we deserved to beat No. 4 tonight.”
Check off another box for the group of veteran Bulldogs who were instrumental in the program’s first-ever national tournament win. In 2025, Concordia completely turned the tables on the 4-0 defeat it endured last season on Columbia’s home turf. In Saturday’s momentous outing, the Bulldogs got a goal apiece from freshman Lupe Sanchez (6’), senior Kierstynn Garner (33’) and freshman Charli Preister (85’). A perfectly executed ball into the box from Garner to Preister for the header put the cherry on top.
Concordia effectively weathered the storm the Cougars hit it with early in the second half. After absorbing the push, the Bulldogs regained control and found the finishing touch. Smith trotted out 20 different players throughout the evening in throwing fresh bodies at their perennially powerful foe. Never before has a Concordia side had such depth. The Bulldogs wound up with an 18-11 shot advantage.
These are the type of moments super senior Taylor Slaymaker returned to soak up. Said Slaymaker, “It’s really exciting. Last year we did not start out as well as we have this year. It’s really exciting that we’re already starting out this good, being able to beat the No. 4 team … I’m just excited to see how this season pans out.”
The talent and leadership of the veterans is showing up along with the boost received from freshmen such as Sanchez and Preister. A Grand Island native, Sanchez wreaked havoc in notching a goal and an assist on the night. She was set up by Elena Ruiz for a one-on-one with All-American goalkeeper Natalie Allison for the game’s first goal. Later in the first half, Sanchez fought off a defender and found Garner for her 51st career goal.
There was credit to go around beyond the goal scorers. The midfield is an area of strength led by seniors such as Ruiz and Niah Kirchner. Meanwhile, Slaymaker helps anchor a back line including the likes of Triniti Rowe, Shelby Rugg and others. In goal, Aaliyah Matthews made eight saves while playing all 90 minutes. Collectively, the Bulldogs fended off 10 Columbia corner kicks. The lone Cougar goal came in the 23rd minute via Georgia Pardalos.
Prior to Saturday night, the program’s previous highest ranked wins came over No. 16 Hastings in 2014 and No. 16 Bellevue in 2015. The act of knocking off a top five team puts the ’25 Bulldogs in uncharted territory. It’s a win that could serve them well as the stakes get higher later in the season. Perhaps then Smith will say ‘yes’ to the Wobble.
Said Smith, “The mentality area of our team over my time is one that we’ve been building on. We had to get rid of this imposter syndrome that when we’re in big games that we truly belong and believe that we belong. When you play good teams, they’re going to have spells. They have players on that team that are quite good. It’s just about us managing. We made some adjustments in the second half in terms of what our shape was and in our personnel that helped us settle. We ended the game really well.”
The first road trip of the 2025 season is up next. The Bulldogs are slated to play at Dakota State University at 6 p.m. CT on Wednesday. The Trojans of Madison, S.D., will kick off their inaugural season of women’s soccer at home on Monday when they host Mount Marty. In the sport of women’s soccer, Dakota State will compete as a member of the Continental Athletic Conference (NAIA's independent conference).