The Dordt Defender volleyball team started the 2024 season at home on Saturday, August 17 with a pair of wins over Mayville State and William Penn. The win over Mayville State avenged a loss the Defenders suffered to the Comets to start the 2023 season.
VS MAYVILLE STATE
SCORE
Dordt def. Mayville State 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-15)
Box Score (PDF) |
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Dordt Defender volleyball team controlled its match with Mayville State from the outset in securing the season opening win 3-0. Dordt scored the first four points in set one and led 11-9 after the visitors cut the lead in half. A
Tarren Spartz kill ignited a 6-0 Dordt run and the Comets got no closer than 21-16 with Dordt closing the set on a 4-0 run with kills by
Ellie Dokter and
Haley Kuperus along with a pair of Mayville State attack errors.
The Comets never got going in set two and allowed an 8-0 run to put the Defenders up 16-6. Dordt then outscored Mayville State 9-6 the rest of the set before winning 25-12. Spartz had a couple kills in Dordt's closing 4-1 run to secure the 2-0 match lead.
The Defenders got up 7-2 in set three but the Comets rallied to a pair of ties at eight and nine and took their first lead of the match at 10-9.
Kelly McArthur had a kill to tie the set and another three straight points on ball handling error, a
Myra Carlson kill and a Spartz kill gave the hosts a lead they never relinquished. Dordt proceeded to score the next nine points and got a Dokter kill to end the set after a service error had stopped the run.
THE NUMBERS
- Dordt had a 38-26 kills edge and a .373 to -.071 kill efficiency advantage.
- Both teams had five ace serves.
- Dordt had 34 digs to 30 for the Comets.
Dordt Leaders
Mayville State Leaders
- Samantha Passa | 5 kills
- Noelle Erickson | 9 assists
- Tori Richter | 7 digs
VS WILLIAM PENN
SCORE
Dordt def. William Penn 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-18)
Box Score (PDF) |
HOW IT HAPPENED
Dordt swept its second opponent of the day in a match with William Penn (Iowa) on Saturday afternoon at the DeWitt Gym to move to 2-0 this season. Dordt had to overcome deficits in each of its sets to forge the win.
In set one the Statesmen took a 3-0 lead before back to back
Tarren Spartz kills got Dordt on the board. The teams had eight ties up to 12-12 when a
Myra Carlson kill unlocked the tie and sparked a four-point Defender run. The visitors got no closer than three the rest of the set and Dordt won by a 25-19 advantage.
Set two had the Defenders in front early and Dordt had a 10-6 lead after a
Madison Vis service ace. Dordt was still up 11-8 when William Penn went on a 7-0 run to lead 15-11. The Defenders eventually got back to back points on a Carlson kill and a William Penn error but the Oskaloosa, Iowa based team maintained a 21-18 lead and appeared in position to tie the match. An attack error gave Dordt a point and a
Kylie Beckering service ace made it 21-20. Spartz followed with a kill to knot the set temporarily but William Penn regained the lead on an error. Spartz earned a kill to tie the set at 22-22 and an error by the visitors followed giving Dordt its first lead since 11-10. At set point the Defenders got an
Ellie Dokter kill to end the set for a 25-23 win.
The Statesmen had a brief, early lead at 3-2 but Dordt eventually took a slight lead and maintained a two or three point lead until a 3-0 run put the hosts up 20-14 with Spartz providing two kills and
Kelly McArthur an ace serve. The Defenders weren't challenged the rest of the set and made the final 25-18.
THE NUMBERS
- Dordt had a 44-21 kills advantage and a .135 to .079 kill efficiency edge.
- Dordt had a 7-3 ace serves edge and a 47-39 digs advantage.
- William Penn got five points from blocks and Dordt had four.
Dordt Leaders
William Penn Leaders
- Alyvia Johnson | 9 kills
- Cate Hahn | 20 assists
- Kaye Caprini | 10 digs
NEXT
Dordt is scheduled to play four matches in Bellevue, Nebraska on Friday and Saturday. August 23 and 24. Dordt faces Grand View and Saint Mary (Kansas) on Friday and Ottawa and John Brown on Saturday.
