Bulldogs dominate at College of Saint Mary
Concordia volleyball defends against York (photo from previous game)
Photo: Leo Lopez
By Trey Boychuk
The Bulldogs began a winning streak after two dominant wins Friday afternoon over Lindsey Wilson University (3-0) and Ottawa University (3-1) in Omaha at the College of Saint Mary.
The Bulldogs came into the weekend hot with a 25-10 win in the first set over Lindsey Wilson University. Concordia came out with plenty of energy and quickly took control of the match. LWU was able to mount some momentum and make it closer in the second set; however, the Bulldogs were able to escape with the win, 30-28. Concordia wrapped it all in a bow with a 26-24 win in the third set, ending the match with a 3-0 sweep.
Lindsey Wilson was no match for the hitters of Concordia, as junior Shandy Fa’ali’i continued her dominant season with 17 kills in the match on a hitting percentage of .367. Sophomore Laynee Baker was seemingly unstoppable, putting down eight kills on nine total attempts.
The hitters wouldn’t be so successful without their setters, as Myla Emery put together a team-high 21 assists and Ella Brueggemann had 15 for herself. The strong offensive performance helped the Bulldogs take control early and never look back.
The domination for the Dawgs continued in their second game of the day against Ottawa University. After already playing a match just four hours earlier, the Bulldogs were able to keep their legs under them and pull together a 3-1 win.
The women put together a productive performance again, winning the first two sets 25-23 and 25-17. Their fatigue then showed in the third set, in which they dropped 25-17. Instead of letting the setback affect them, the Bulldogs came right back in the fourth set with an overwhelming 25-13 win to close out the match.
Makenna Starkey was a key playmaker in this one, raking in 11 kills on 16 attempts. Yet again, the two-setter attack proved to pay off, as Emery had 21 assists and Brueggemann had 19. The Bulldogs continued to find success offensively throughout the match, using their depth and consistency to finish the day with two wins.
With two victories already under their belt, the Bulldogs will look to keep the momentum going as they continue their games in the CSM Labor Day Classic on Saturday. Concordia takes on the University of Saint Francis at 5 pm.
