Game Time:

• Postseason play continues for the Dordt University men's soccer team as they head to Orange City, Iowa for a Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Semifinal match against Northwestern on Saturday, November 4 at 3:00 pm.  
• Dordt is the No.6 seed in the 8-team bracket, finishing the regular season with a 5-4-2 conference record and a current overall record of 9-6-4 overall. Northwestern earned the No.2 seed with an 8-1-2 conference record and a 13-4-2 overall mark entering play.
• Follow the match at the following links:
  • Live Stats | 
  • Watch |
  • GPAC Tournament Page | 

A Look at the GPAC Tournament:

• The 8-team postseason tournament began Wednesday, Nov.1 with four quarterfinal matches. Dordt was the only team to win on the road in the four contests. (full schedule below):

Quarterfinal Round - Wednesday, Nov.1
GPAC Tournament Page | 

• # #1 Briar Cliff def. 8 Dakota Wesleyan 5-0 (Quarterfinal)
• # #4 Morningside def. 5 Hastings 1-0 (Quarterfinal)
• #6 Dordt def.  #3 Concordia 3-0 (Quarterfinal)
• #2 Northwestern def. #7 Midland 1-0 (Quarterfinal)
• #4 Morningside @ #1 Briar Cliff 1:00 pm (Semifinal)
• #6 Dordt @ #2 Northwestern 3:00 pm (Semifinal)

GPAC Tournament History... The 2023 season is the 16th time the Defenders have qualified for the postseason tournament since the GPAC began in 2000. Dordt has qualified for the postseason back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2016-17 and has advanced to the conference semifinals two years in a row.   
 
    Semifinal History:

• 2001 Lost to Hastings 6-3
• 2004 Lost to Northwestern 5-1
• 2005 Lost to Hastings 3-1
• 2014 Lost to Midland 6-1
• 2022 Lost to Concordia 1-0

    
ALL-TIME vs NORTHWESTERN:

• Dordt trails the series 15-7-1 since 1998
• the series, by the numbers...
  • Dordt led the series 7-6 through 2011.
  • Northwestern has won eight of the 13 games that have been decided by one goal including the October 11 meeting by a 1-0 score.
  • This is the first post-season meeting between the two teams since a 2004 GPAC Semifinal contest won by Northwestern 5-1.

Earlier This Season:

• Dordt lost to Northwestern 1-0 in a match played in Sioux Center on October 11.
  • Tim Kaltenberger scored the eventual game-winner in the 12^th minute of play
• By the Numbers:
  • the Defenders totaled six shots on-goal and 12 total.
  • Northwestern had nine shots on goal and 12 total
  • Mitchell Dryden had eight saves for Dordt
  • Pablo Aspas made six saves for Northwestern
  • Marco Laenen led Dordt with two shots on goal
  • Northwestern's only player with two shots on goal was Alejandro Ruiz Garci.

SCOUTING REPORT:

• Northwestern Red Raiders
  • 13-4-2 record overall, 8-2-1 (2nd in GPAC)
  • highest ranked GPAC team despite placing third in the conference
  • 4-1 in one goal matches
  • 11 wins by shutout
  • most goals scored this season: 13 vs Union
  • Head Coach: Dan Swier (16th year)
    • 148-115-22 overall record
    • 2021 GPAC Coach of the Year and Regular Season Champion
  • 2023 by the Numbers:
    • goals for: 2.8 / match (53 total) – 2^nd  in GPAC
    • goals against: .89 / match (17 total) – 2^nd  in GPAC
  • 2023 Leaders:
    • Tim Kaltenberg - 14 goals (1st), 1 assist, 29pts (1st)
    • Stan van den Beld - 10 goals (2^nd), 4 assists (13^th)
    • Pablo Aspas - .94 goals against average (6^th), 65 saves (5^th), 11 wins (1^st)

Dordt Defenders

• #6 seed, 9-6-4 overall, 5-4-2 GPAC (6th)
• last time out
  • def. Concordia 3-0
• 3-2-1 last five matches
• A closer look at the 2023 results:
  • Seven shutouts (3rd in GPAC)
  • been shutout 5x
  • most goals scored - 18 vs Union (school record)
  • six matches decided by one goal (1-5)
• 2023 by the Numbers (GPAC rank):
  • goals: 2.8 match (2^nd)
  • goals against: .9 (3rd)
  • seven shutouts (3rd)
• Key Players (GPAC rank):
  • Blake Hansen - 8 goals (T8th), 4 assists, 20pts (8th)
  • Marco Laenen -  9 goals (T6th), 5 assists, 23pts (9th)
  • Jacob Narkis - 7 goals (T10th), 5 assists (T9th), 19pts (9th)
  • Javier Moscardo - 5 goals, 7 assists (T1st)
  • Mitchell Dryden - 6-4-2 record, 68 saves (4th), .85 goals against (4th) 
    • 2x GPAC Defensive Player of the Week
    • NAIA Defensive Player of the Week
  • Brandon Hansen - 3-2-2 record, 22 saves, .88 goals against (5th)