SIOUX CITY, Iowa – After opening the season with a setback on Thursday, the No. 5-ranked Corban University Women's Volleyball team responded in emphatic fashion on Friday, earning a pair of marquee victories over nationally-ranked opponents at the Siouxland Volleyball Invitational. The Warriors opened the day with a four-set triumph over No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan University before grinding out a five-set victory against No. 7 McPherson College to improve to 2-1 on the young season.
Match 2: No. 5 Corban 3, No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan 1
Set Scores: 23-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-19
After dropping a tightly contested opening set, Corban took control of the match by claiming the next three frames and showcasing the balanced attack and dominating net presence that has made the Warriors a perennial national contender.
Dakota Wesleyan surged to an early advantage in the first set and led 23-18 late in the frame. The Warriors refused to fold, rattling off five of the next six points behind kills from senior outside hitter Emma Bischoff and freshman opposite hitter Greta Van Gemert to trim the deficit to 24-23. However, the Tigers held on for a 25-23 opening-set victory.
Corban answered immediately in the second stanza. Trailing 12-8 midway through the set, the Warriors pieced together a pivotal run fueled by Bischoff, junior opposite hitter Lauryn Copeland, and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Jenna Konzelman. Corban seized a 17-15 lead and never looked back, closing the frame on an 8-5 stretch to even the match at one set apiece.
The third set proved to be the turning point, as Corban jumped out to a 7-4 lead and maintained control throughout, receiving timely kills from Bischoff, Copeland, and Van Gemert. Dakota Wesleyan threatened late, cutting the margin to 24-22, but an attack error by the Tigers sealed a 25-22 Warrior victory and a 2-1 match advantage.
In the fourth set, Corban weathered several momentum swings before a decisive 9-2 run broke a 13-13 tie. Consecutive kills from senior outside hitter Kendra Bittle and Van Gemert helped create separation, and the Warriors closed the match with authority, securing the 25-19 victory and their first win of the season.
Bischoff delivered a dominant all-around performance, recording a match-high 22 kills, adding 11 digs, three service aces, and posting a .291 attacking percentage. Her 22-kill, double-double effort paced three Corban players who reached double figures offensively.
Copeland added 13 kills while hitting .360 and contributed a match-high seven block assists. Van Gemert turned in 15 kills with a .316 attack percentage for the true freshman, while Konzelman was highly efficient with five kills on a .500 clip and five block assists.
The Warrior offense was orchestrated by their two-setter system, as senior Nadeiah Howard tallied 24 assists while sophomore Kawena Crowell added 20 assists. Defensively, junior libero Dani Street spearheaded the back row with a match-high 22 digs.
Dakota Wesleyan was paced by Evy Knoblock and Madisyn Grimsrud, who recorded 15 kills apiece, while setter Kayleigh Hybertson distributed 48 assists. Defensively, Lizzie Tyler led the Tigers with 17 digs.
Notable Statistics
- Bischoff's 22 kills mark a new career-high for the NAIA All-American.
- Corban hit .282 as a team, compared to Dakota Wesleyan's .214 mark.
- The Warriors compiled 62 kills, including four players with at least 13 kills.
- Corban dominated the net with 21 total team blocks, including 20 block assists.
Match 2: No. 5 Corban 3, No. 7 McPherson 2
Set Scores: 19-25, 26-24, 25-23, 20-25, 15-7
Facing its second top 20 opponent of the day, Corban showcased its resilience once again, rallying from an opening-set loss and eventually pulling away in the decisive fifth set to secure a signature victory over the Bulldogs.
McPherson controlled much of the opening frame, using a strong mid-set run to build separation and claim a 25-19 set victory. The Warriors battled late but could not overcome the early deficit they created through unforced attacking errors.
The second set featured one of the most dramatic stretches of the afternoon. Corban built a 22-19 lead before McPherson stormed back to seize set-point at 24-23. The Warriors responded with three-consecutive points, capped by a Bittle service ace to escape with a 26-24 win and tie the match up.
Corban carried that momentum into the third set. After a back-and-forth battle that featured 10 ties, the Warriors produced key late points from Bischoff, Copeland, and Van Gemert to secure a 25-23 victory and move one set away from the match win.
The Bulldogs answered in the fourth set, building an early advantage and fending off a late Warrior push to capture a 25-20 decision, forcing a winner-take-all fifth set.
In the decisive frame, Corban saved its best play for last. After the teams traded points early, the Warriors exploded for a 12-3 run behind stellar serving and a suffocating blocking presence at the net. Corban held McPherson to a negative hitting percentage in the set and closed the contest on an 11-2 surge to seal a convincing 15-7 fifth-set triumph.
Bischoff again led the Navy and Gold attack, posting 12 kills, seven digs, five block assists, and a service ace. Copeland added nine kills and six total blocks, while Van Gemert chipped in eight kills.
Street anchored the backcourt with a match-high 23 digs, setting a new career-high best while helping Corban overcome a 66-58 disadvantage in total digs.
The Warriors received strong contributions from their setters, as Howard and Crowell each recorded 16 assists. At the service line, Kendra Bittle sparked multiple momentum shifts with five aces, while junior defensive specialist Madison Hernandez contributed four aces.
Lily Gray led McPherson and all attackers with 14 kills, while Enya Fierens added 11 kills. Setter Tabor Scanlon tallied 24 assists, and libero Isabella Calle paced the Bulldogs and all defensive specialists with 26 digs.
Notable Statistics
- Corban racked up 13 service aces compared to just eight for McPherson.
- The Warriors amassed 24 block assists and two solo stuffs, creating constant pressure at the net after struggling to locate their defensive presence in their opening matches for the 2026 campaign.
- Bittle's five aces were a match high and played a key role in the second-set comeback and fifth-set surge.
With victories over No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan and No. 7 McPherson already secured following a seasoning-opening sweep at the hands of unranked Morningside University, the Warriors carry considerable momentum into the tournament's final day as they continue building an early-season résumé among the NAIA's national elite. Corban (2-1) will conclude play at the Siouxland Invitational on Saturday with two more nationally significant matchups. The Warriors are scheduled to face No. 3 Concordia University (Neb.) at 8 a.m. CT before taking on No. 25 Viterbo University (Wis.) at 12 p.m. CT at the CNOS Fieldhouse in North Sioux City.
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