The Event: 

• The 2024 season continues for the Dordt University men's soccer program as the Defenders host the Pizza Ranch Classic this weekend (August 30-31) on their home field, the Defender Soccer Complex. On Friday night, Dordt will play Grand View with game time set for 7:15pm. The Defenders return to their home pitch on Saturday night for a match against former GPAC-rival Jamestown, also beginning at 7:15pm.

All-Time:

• vs Grand View
  • Dordt is 9-14-1 all-time in the rivalry against Grand View
  • Friday's match will be the first played since 2009
  • the Defenders lost to Grand View 4-0 in 2009 and last defeated the Vikings in 1998 (3-2)
  • Dordt is 2-3 in its last five and 2-8 in its last 10 matches against Grand View
  • the rivalry began in 1983
• vs University of Jamestown
  • Dordt is 5-9-1 all-time against Jamestown
  • the rivalry began in 1987
  • Dordt has won two straight against the Jimmies
    • 4-0 win in 2023
    • 4-1 win in 2022
  • the Defenders win in 2022 was the first against Jamestown since 2011 (0-8-1)
  • Dordt has played Jamestown every season since 2018, the year the Jimmies joined the GPAC

GPAC Preseason Poll:

• the Defenders were picked to finish sixth of 11 teams in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) poll released last week
• Dordt totaled 52 points, trailing Briar Cliff (1st), Concordia (2nd), Morningside (3rd), Northwestern (4th) and Hastings (5th)

Schedule Outlook:

• the Defenders continue with their seven-game, non-conference portion of their schedule this weekend
• Dordt will have one more non-conference match (vs Central) on September 14 prior to its GPAC opener
• they will open GPAC play on September 18 at Midland
• Dordt will play one more non-conference match, vs Bellevue, midseason on Oct. 12.
• 2024 Schedule | 

Scouting Report: Grand View Vikings

• 2024 record: 1-2
  • lost to Drake 3-0
  • def. Morningside 2-1
  • lost to Midland 4-2
• Head Coach: David Groves (3rd year)
  • hired in April 2022
  • 3rd head coach in program history
  • previously served as the head coach at Lyon College (NAIA)
    • 4 years
    • 2x NAIA Qualifier
    • 2021 AMC Coach of the Year
• Conference: Heat of America Athletic (12 teams)
• 2023 Record: 
  • 4-6-1 (10th), 9-7-1
  • did not qualify for conference tournament
  • began season 5-0
• return three starters, 17 players from 2023
  • return one all-conference player
  • lost two all-conference players, top three goal scorers
  • 8 of 43 goals scored last year return
  • 16 of 27 assists return
  • #2 goalie returns
• by the numbers (based on 2024 stats)
  • goals scored: 4 (1.33 / match)
  • goals against: 8 (2.67 / match)
• Key Players (2024 stats)
  • Clement Scaccia  1 goal, 1 assist (transfer from Gardner-Webb)
  • Samuel Londono - 1 goal
  • Pietro Piacenza - 1 goal (transfer from Eastern Oklahoma State)
  • Warren Sung - 1 goal
  • Jaren Obia (all-conference)
  • Scott Penngelly - 1-1 record, 2.5 goals against, 7 saves (transfer from CSU Bakersfield)

Scouting Report: University of Jamestown Jimmies

• 2024 record: 1-0-1
• program started in 2007, joined GPAC in 2018
• Head Coach: Austin Shafer (1st year)
  • named interim associate head coach
  • 5th head coach in program history
  • replaced Tommy Nienhaus, who served eight years
  • played one season (2022) for Jamestown
  • played at Montana State Billings (2018-21)
• Conference: n/a
• 2023 Record: 2-6-3 (9th of 12 teams), 3-10-4
  • played in the GPAC since 2018
  • did not qualify for postseason
• return five starters, 21 players from 2023
  • return one all-conference player
  • lost two all-conference players, 3 of top 4 scorers
  • 6 of 22 goals scored last year return
  • 4 of 15 assists return
  • top goalkeeper is back
• by the numbers 
  • goals scored: 5 (2.5 / match)
  • goals against: 1 (.5 / match)
• Key Players
  • Jake Simson  - 3 goals
  • Oscar Salgado - 1 goal, 2 assists
  • Alejandro Tocino Vidal - 1 goal
  • Maximilien Gallais (all-conference)
  • Charlie Clark - 1-0-1 record, 5 saves, 0.50 GAA

Defenders News and Notes:

• Head Coach: Eric Bourdo (2nd year)
  • spent four years as ass't at Dordt prior to being named head coach
• 2024 record: 0-2-1
  • tied William Woods 2-2
  • lost to Trinity Christian 2-0
  • lost to Governors State 6-0
• 2023 record: 9-7-4 overall, 5-4-2 (6th place) in GPAC
  • lost to Northwestern, 4-3 (2 OT), in GPAC semi's
  • ranked second in the GPAC in goals (56), 1st in goals / match (2.8)
  • led GPAC with 43 assists
  • tied for 2nd in GPAC in goals allowed (21), 1.04 / match
• 2024, by the numbers:
  • 2 goals scored (.67 / match)
  • 10 goals allowed (3.3 / match)
• Defender Notes: 
  • Key Players:
    • Marco Laenen - HM all-conference in 2023
    • Mitchell Dryden - 2x all-conference, 19 saves, 0-2-1 record
      • 179 career saves, 10-13-7 record
      • 2x GPAC Player of the Week in 2023, 1x GPAC Player of the Week in 2022
    • Jacob Narkis - 1 goal, 1 assist
    • Arnau Gonzalez - all-conference in 2022
    • Phil Appelt - 1 goal
      • transfer from MidAmerica Christian, played two years at Dordt prior, all-conference at Dordt
• last time shutout an opponent:
  • vs 18th-ranked Concordia, 2023 GPAC Quarterfinal (3-0) on Nov.1