No. 10 Bulldogs open season with dominant 112-69 victory over Valley City State
Women’s basketball team celebrates a win over Hastings (Photo from Jan. 2026).
Photo: Sower
By Victor Tavares Paiva
The Concordia University women’s basketball team opened its 2026-27 season Friday, Oct. 30, with a dominant 112-69 victory over Valley City State University in Mitchell, South Dakota.
The No. 10-ranked Bulldogs put together an outstanding offensive performance, scoring 112 points while shooting 43.6 percent from the field, 41-of-94. Concordia also connected on 13 three-pointers and was especially efficient at the free-throw line, making 17-of-19 attempts, 89.5%.
Sophomore Ayla Roth led the Bulldogs with 19 points in an impressive 14 minutes of action, finishing 7-11 from the field and a perfect 4-4 at the free-throw line.
Coach Olson made use of the entire roster, with every Bulldog seeing the floor and all 14 players contributing points. No player logged more than 18 minutes, demonstrating the team’s depth and the coaching staff’s confidence in its full lineup. The Bulldogs responded with a complete team performance, making the most of their opportunities throughout the game.
Alongside Roth, junior Makynna Robbins and senior Bree Bunting each contributed 16 points. Robbins added eight rebounds, three assists and four steals, while Bunting finished with three assists and two steals.
Senior Sammy Leu recorded 11 points and five rebounds, while also collecting four steals. Senior Raelyn Kelty added 10 points, four rebounds and three steals. Coming off the bench, senior Libby Hoffman also reached double figures with 11 points, including three three-pointers.
Concordia showcased its defensive intensity and ability to share the ball, finishing with 39 rebounds, 25 assists and an impressive 24 steals. The Bulldogs were particularly dominant in the third quarter, outscoring Valley City State 32-13 to extend their lead and take control of the contest.
The Bulldogs will return to action on Halloween afternoon, Saturday, Oct. 31, in Mitchell, South Dakota, with the same objective but a different opponent. Concordia will face William Penn University, from neighboring Iowa, with tipoff scheduled for 1 p.m. The matchup marks the second of four non-conference contests as the Bulldogs continue preparing for their pursuit of a Great Plains Athletic Conference championship.
