Concordia opens GPAC play with 2-0 win over Dordt College

The Concordia University women’s soccer team opened conference play with an impressive 2-0 win over Dordt College on Saturday afternoon in Seward.  The Bulldogs held a 17-2 shot advantage in the contest, and a pair of goals by Mallorie Blanck lifted Concordia to the victory.   With the win, Concordia moved to 3-4 (1-0 GPAC).  Dordt dropped to 2-6 (0-1 GPAC).  

Concordia took the lead in the 21st minute.  Blanck turned and fired a shot from 15-yards out to beat the Dordt goalie.  Molly Humlicek (Lincoln, Neb.) and Kelly Ross (Calgary, AB) picked up the assists on the play.  With just 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Blanck struck again to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.  Senior Jamie Sanchez (Lincoln, Neb.) delivered a great pass over the top of a Dordt defender to find a wide open Blanck.  Blanck found the net with her team-best eighth goal of the year.  

“Today is a good confidence boost for us, because we’re trying to battle back from a losing record,” remarked Blanck, last week’s GPAC Offensive Player-of-the-Week.  “Our record had us down a little bit, but we came out today and gave it everything we had.  Starting the conference season off with a win gives us confidence.”  

Blanck finished with 11 shots on the day (5 on goal).  A total of six other Bulldog players had single shots on the day.  Ariel Harris (Valley Center, Calif.) picked up the shutout in goal for the Bulldogs.  Harris and the Bulldog defense stayed strong throughout the match, and the Defenders struggled to piece anything together offensively.

“This is as many goals as I had all of last year, so that gives me some confidence individually,” noted Blanck.  “I worked really hard over the summer, and that work has paid off.  I couldn’t score these goals without my teammates, though.  It starts with our back line, and my teammates have done a great job finding me.”    

The Bulldogs travel to Hastings College on September 28 for a 5 p.m. contest against the Broncos.  Hastings College is ranked 17th in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll.  Hastings is currently the only GPAC team ranked in the Top 25, and the Bulldogs sound excited for the match.

“Hastings has a great program, and they are a team we would really like to beat,” remarked Blanck.  “We played them twice last year, and they were very competitive games.  We’re playing well, and we want to keep the momentum going.”