CU opens pool round with win

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There were no real secrets between the fourth-ranked Concordia University volleyball team and GPAC rival Hastings as they met on the national stage Nov. 30. The Broncos threatened to force a fifth set before the Bulldogs rattled off five of the final six points in the fourth.

Concordia won the NAIA National Championship Pool Play clash, 25-19, 23-25, 25-13, 25-21, inside the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

Head Coach Ben Boldt has brought an experienced battle-tested group to the national tournament final site. The victory on Wednesday marked the program’s 10th all-time at the national tournament and moved the 2022 team to 25-5 overall.

Gabi Nordaker posted 16 kills and four blocks and hit .441 from the middle, a fruitful spot for Concordia. Fifth-year senior Morgan Nibbe put away point Nos. 24 and 25 of the fourth set with kills as a compliment to Nordaker.

The attack for the Bulldogs operated near its peak in the third set when they hit .457 with 17 kills to just one error. Hastings (20-14) absorbed that blow and made it a fight in the fourth set. It was 20-20 after a Concordia service error. A combined block by Nibbe and Bree Burtwistle followed and the Bulldogs were on their way. 

A two-time NAIA National Championship All-Tournament selection, Camryn Opfer is used to making those big plays. She powered down 13 kills and added 24 digs, two blocks and an ace in the win. Besides Nordaker and Opfer, three other Bulldogs notched at least nine kills: Carly Rodaway (11), Ashley Keck (nine) and Nibbe (nine). Burtwistle racked up 58 assists, 11 digs and two aces. In the back row, Rebecca Gebhardt (27 digs) and Lexie Kreizel (14 digs) played instrumental roles.

The Bulldogs will return to Court 2 at the Tyson Events Center on Friday, Dec. 2, for a matchup with No. 13 Park University (Mo.) (27-5). First serve is set for 1 p.m.

Concordia and Park have not met since the 2008 season when the Bulldogs came away with a victory in five sets. The Pirates will take on Hastings on Thursday before going head-to-head with Concordia.