Concordia stands at No. 1 in the GPAC after blanking Morningside 3-0. 

Hugo Garrote takes a free kick against Morningside

Photo: Kennedee Canales

By Christian Myers

The rematch of last year’s Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament championship was no issue for Concordia men’s soccer on Saturday, Sept. 26. In what was a game of aggressive defense and first-half scoring, the Bulldogs completely shut down the Morningside Mustangs, defeating them 3-0 and improving their win streak to four games.  

The first half began similarly for the two teams. Uptight defense kept scoring at bay, and multiple fouls found their way into both lineups. A combined three total shots were taken through minute 27, with none resulting in a goal. However, minute 28 had other plans for the Bulldogs. Sophomore Joe McCarrol took a shot with a helpful assist from senior Michael Wyvill and drilled it bottom right, giving Concordia a 1-0 lead.  

Very quickly after goal number one, senior Kai Olbrich found himself in control of the ball and sprinting down the sideline. Running out of room, Kai passed to his right, finding his brother, freshman Kade Olbrich, who then slammed the ball into the net for his first career goal as a Bulldog. Concordia led 2-0 on the Olbrich brothers’ assist and score.  

“It brings me back to high school. My first game Kai went down the left side, crossed it in for my first career high school goal, and so I got flashbacks to that,” Kade Olbrich said.  

Kai Olbrich’s sense and knowledge of the field were obvious on the play, and he just hoped his brother would sink the shot. 

“I hit it pretty much as hard as I could into him, and I figured, in practice he misses those, but in games he always scores,” Kai Olbrich said with a smile.  

Ten minutes later, after a Concordia yellow card and a Morningside foul, senior Hugo Garrote took a free kick from just outside the box and buried it into the back of the net. The Bulldogs were commanding every aspect of the game. They held a 3-0 lead and led in shots 6-2 at the break.  

Half number two took on the same form as the first in terms of defense for Concordia. Morningside let off six shots that resulted in three blocks and three more way off target. The reigning GPAC Defensive Player of the Week, junior goalkeeper Florian Quast, didn’t even get one chance to save a shot all game. CUNE’s defensive pressure was consistent and unrelenting.  

Offensively, the Dawgs didn’t take another shot in the second half, which wasn’t too much of a surprise given their 72 team shots are the second-lowest in the GPAC. That may sound like a negative aspect to their game, but their team shooting percentage remains the second-highest overall. The few shots they do take in each game are going in. 

Concordia’s record is now 5-4, and they’ve shot to No.1 in the GPAC standings. After a tough 1-4 start to the year, every area has seemingly clicked during this four-game winning streak. Quast has been dominant at the goal, many freshmen have excelled, and returners such as McCarroll, Olbrich, and Garrote have led the team with poise. 

“We’re starting to mesh and meld at the right time”, Kai Olbrich said. “Of course, non-conference, you want to win those games, but really the GPAC season is what matters.” 

Concordia men’s soccer will take on GPAC No. 4 Briar Cliff in a matchup on Oct. 3 in Sioux City, Iowa. They look to continue their undefeated streak in conference play as they currently sit at 3-0.