The Dordt men's volleyball team improved to 9-1 this season and 5-1 in GPAC play with a 3-0 win over Kansas Wesleyan on Friday night in Salinas, Kansas. The Defenders fought through a slow start and won sets two and three in commanding fashion as they started the second time around the Great Plains Athletic Conference schedule.
The Defenders were tied with the Coyotes at 4-4 before
Brady Frost had back to back kills for a 6-4 lead in set one. The lead eventually grew to 11-7 with a kill by
Dylan Kooiman and a block by Kooiman and Van Groningen. Wesleyan came back to tie the set at 12-12 and it was tied again at 13 and 14 before the Coyotes scored three straight points. Wesleyan never trailed from that point and had a 23-21 lead but
Luke Nelson knocked a kill through and an attack error tied the set.
Brady Frost recorded another kill and Nelson put up a solo block to end the set with a four point run by the Defenders for a 25-21 decision.
The Defenders trailed 4-3 in set two but went on a 7-0 run to lead 10-4 and the Coyotes were never closer than five the rest of the set and took advantage of six Kansas Wesleyan attack errors and the Defenders had three service aces.
The Defenders raced out to a 6-2 lead in set three and were never challenged and won 25-14 and had 11 kills in the set while limiting Wesleyan to three and Dordt held the Coyotes to negative numbers in kill efficiency in the set.
THE NUMBERS
- Caleb Kulesza led the Dordt attack with 10 kills and he helped the Defenders to a .270 kill efficiency with three ace serves.
- Luke Nelson had nine kills and two solo blocks.
- Brady Frost had seven kills and Andres Guzman recorded six kills with 11 digs.
- Rob Piekarz had 11 digs and Lukas Van Groningen recorded 29 assists.
- Dordt had a 36-19 kills advantage and both teams had five ace serves.
- Dordt recorded seven points on blocks and Kansas Wesleyan had three.
- Dordt is now 5-1 in the GPAC and 9-1 overall.
COACH CHAD HANSON SAID
"Our first set of play had too many errors but we cleaned up our play at the very end to come back for the win. Sets two and three were more comfortable as we showed better discipline from the service line and executed our offense better. The guys are continually growing in their instincts and communication which is allowing them to play more free."
NEXT
Dordt will face Central Christian in McPherson, Kansas on Saturday, February 25.
