Box Score The Dordt University volleyball team pushed No.3 Concordia (Neb.) to the brink but came up short in a thrilling five-set conference match played tonight at the DeWitt Gym. Individual scores were 25-15, 25-23, 14-25, 29-31, 16-14.

• Box Score | PDF

Dordt moves to 7-5 in the GPAC, 13-10 overall, while the visiting Bulldogs improve to 11-1 in the GPAC, 18-2 overall. 

How It Happened:

• 1st Set:
  • Concordia raced out to a 7-1 lead and never trailed in earning a 25-15 win
  • the Bulldogs hit 18% and liimited the Defenders to nine kills and a negative hitting efficiency
• 2nd Set:
  • an early 5-0 run gave the Defenders their first lead of the match as they led 6-2
  • Concordia rallied to tie the score at 11 and the teams traded back-and-forth the next six points
  • tied at 14, the Bulldogs surged ahead for good with a 3-0 run and forced Dordt into a timeout
  • Dordt eventually fought back to get with one on two separate occasions (22-21 and 24-23), the later after a kills by Tarren Spartz
  • Concordia closed the set with an attack by Gabi Nordacker to win 25-23
• 3rd Set:
  • the Defenders began the third set with a 6-2 run, sparked by the serving of Haley Wielenga and the strong net play by Myra Carlson (2 kills, block)
  • still leading 15-11, Dordt closed with a 10-3 run to earn a 25-14 win in the third set
  • Dordt hit 35% in the set and totaled three aces; Concordia was held to a negative kill efficiency
• 4th Set:
  • Dordt fell behind early but used a 5-0 run to move ahead 11-7 following a couple of aces from Kylie Beckering and a successful attack by Haley Kuperus
  • Dordt continued to lead (16-13) until Concordia scored six of the next eight points to take a 19-18 lead
  • the teams traded points until, with the score tied 22-22, a kill by Kuperus and a Bulldogs attack error led to set point for the Defenders
  • Concordia fought off four set points and eventually served for the match twice (28-27 and 29-28)
  • Ellie Dokter and Haley Kuperus both put down a kill to save match point followed by three straight Dordt points to win 31-29, finished off with a Spartz kill
• 5th Set:
  • the Defenders trailed 7-3 before they fought back to tie the set at 10 after a Bulldogs attack error
  • tied at 13, Spartz put away a kill to put Dordt up 14-13 and serving for the match
  • Concordia, however, forced a sideout and then scored the next two points to get the win, 16-14

By the Numbers:

• Dordt hit 11% for the match, including a match-best 35% in its win in the third set
• the Defenders put away 60 kills, tied for the fourth most of the season
• Concordia hit 12% and put away 52 kills
• Dordt had a 9-3 advantage in ace serves
• there were eight lead changes and 17 ties in the Defenders 31-29 win in the fourth set
• Dordt overcame two match points in set four; Concordia fought off four set points in the fourth set
• Tarrren Spartz powered down a match-high 17 kills
• Haley Kuperus totaled 13 kills and hit a team-best 31%
• Myra Carlson recorded 10 kills and gave the Defenders three in double figures
• Kelly McArthur (29) and Carlee Jackson (23) combined for 52 assists in directing the Defenders offense
• Ellie Dokter was one kill shy of a double-double, putting up a career-high 19 digs to lead the backrow play
• Madison Vis (18) and Kylie Beckering (10) also were in double figures in digs
• Kuperus (6) and Carlson (5) led the team in blocks
• Ella Waters led Concordia with 16 kills and joined Ashley Keck (11) and Gabi Nordacker (10) in double figures

Defender Notes:

• Spartz has hit for double figures in a team-leading 17 matches
• both Kuperus and Carlson have hit for double figures in six matches
• McArthur was one assist shy of matching her season high (30) and posted her seventh match with 20-plus assists
• Jackson has put up 20+ assists in 11 matches
• Vis has recorded 10+ digs in four straight matches and 20 for the season