SEWARD, Neb. – The York University volleyball team opened its 2026 season with a 3-0 loss to third-ranked Concordia (NE) on Tuesday night at Friedrich Arena. The Bulldogs took the match by set scores of 25-21, 25-12, and 25-20.
Despite the final score, the Panthers (0-1) showed flashes of competitiveness against one of the NAIA's top programs, particularly in the opening and closing sets. York battled to a 10-10 tie in the first frame and later pulled within 20-19 before Concordia closed with a 5-2 run. In the third set, the Panthers erased a 10-5 deficit with a 5-0 run to knot the score at 10-10, and later trimmed the margin to 23-20 before the Bulldogs finished off the match.
Offensively, Maria Del Mar Rivera paced the York attack with five kills. Jassania Joseph added three kills and was a force at the net with three total blocks (two solo, one assist), while Ronan Merriex also chipped in three kills. Setter Meadow Nusbaum distributed a team-leading nine assists, with Kaylee Weigel adding four.
Defensively, Valentina Jimenez anchored the back row with a team-high 12 digs. Weigel contributed seven digs, and Nusbaum added six. The Panthers finished with 38 digs as a team.
York faced a tough Bulldogs team as they hit .049 as a team with 16 kills and 12 errors. The Panthers also recorded four aces, with Joseph, Madilyn De La Garza, Nusbaum, and Ileysha Rodriguez each tallying one.
Concordia (1-0), ranked No. 3 in the NAIA preseason poll, was efficient on the attacking end, hitting .295 with 46 kills. The Bulldogs were led by Shandy Faalii, who posted a match-high 14 kills to go with two aces and five digs. Danica Martin and Makenna Starkey each added seven kills, while setter Myla Emery distributed 28 assists. Emma Brueggemann anchored the Concordia defense with 12 digs.
Up Next:
The Panthers hit the road for their next contest, traveling to face Midland on Tuesday, Aug. 25. First serve is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. in Fremont.
