The Event: 

• The Dordt University women's soccer team will host Avila (Mo.) on Friday night, August 30, for its 2024 home opener and as the first match of the Pizza Ranch Classic. Start time on the Defenders Soccer Complex is set for 5pm.

All-Time:

• Dordt is 2-2 all-time against Avila
• the Defenders have won two straight in the rivalry, including a 3-1 win last year in a match played in Kansas City, Mo.
• game-by-game series:
  • 2023: 3-1 win
  • 2018: 2-0 win
  • 2012: 0-3 loss
  • 2011: 0-2 loss

Last Year: 

• Dordt earned a 3-1 win against Avila in the Defenders season opener in 2023
• Joslyn Terpstra netted two goals in her first match played in a Defenders uniform, scoring during the 38th and 50th minute
• the Eagles put a tally on the scoreboard with a goal during the 79th minute to cut the Defenders lead down to 2-1
• Ellie Stuart converted a penalty kick late to cap the scoring
• Jenna Wright stopped three Avila shots to earn the win
• the Eagles fell to 0-3

Preseason Polls:

• the Defenders were picked to finish third of 12 teams in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) poll released last week
• Dordt totaled 96 points, trailing Hastings (1st) and Concordia (2nd)
• Avila was picked 10th out of 14 teams in the KCAC preseason poll
• Oklahoma Wesleyan and Friends are picked to finish first and second, respectively

Schedule Outlook:

• Friday's match is the third of the season for the Defenders and the first one played on the home turf
• it marks the middle of a five-match, non-conference stretch to start the season to get the Defenders prepared for their GPAC opener 
• Dordt will play 25th-ranked Benedictine on Sept.4 in Atchison, Kan. and will return home for a match against Nebraska Wesleyan on Sept.14
• Dordt will open conference play on Sept.18 against defending GPAC Champion Midland in a rematch of last year's title match
• 2024 Schedule | 

Scouting Report on Avila:

• 2024 record: 0-0
• Head Coach: Katie LaForge (7th year)
  • 40-58-14 overall record
  • also serves as the Director of Player Personnel for the Kansas Elite Soccer Club
  • hired in November of 2017; 1st season was in 2018 
  • took over a team that finished 0-18 in 2017 and went 5-12-2 in 2018
  • best season: 2020 - 10-6-1 (reached conference semifinals)
  • served as an assistant for Kansas City Kansas C.C.
  • played professionally for Kristianstads DFF (Sweden
  • 4-year playing career for Marquette where she earned All-American honors
• Conference: Kansas Collegiate Athletic (14 teams)
• 2023 Record:  
  • 6-6-1 (8th), 6-12-1 overall
  • lost to top-seed Oklahoma Wesleyan in the quarterfinals of  the conference tournament
• return six starters, 17 players from 2023
  • lost leading scorer and top two players in assists (both all-conference players)
  • return one all-conference player
  • 10 of the 19 goals scored last year return
  • 7 of 17 assists return
  • #2 goalie returns
• by the numbers (based on 2023 stats)
  • goals scored: 19 (1 / match) (12th in the KCAC)
  • goals against: 46 (2.4 / match) (11th in KCAC)
• Key Players Returning (2023 stats)
  • Aubrey Cheney - 15 matches, 2 starts, 2 goals
  • Joselyn Clark - 1 goal, 2 assists
  • Annika Holtof - 1 goal, 2 assists
  • Hope Hines (all-conference) - 1 goal, 1 assist
  • Kenan Ebel - 2-5 record, 2.67 gaa, 27 saves
• of note:
  • qualified for the KCAC tournament in five of six seasons under head coach LaForge

Defenders News and Notes:

• 2024 record: 1-1
  • def. William Penn 5-1 and lost to (RV) MidAmerica Nazarene 3-1 last week
• Head Coach: Alex Durbin (5th year)
  • 38-29-7 overall record
  • qualified for the postseason tournament each year
• 2023 record: 12-6-2 overall, 7-3-2 GPAC (T4th)
  • lost to Midland 4-3 (2 OT) in GPAC championship
  • Dordt led GPAC in goals (58) and goals / game (2.9)
• return six starters, 19 players
  • four all-conference players return
  • 10 of 11 top goal scorers return
  • #1 and #2 goalkeepers return
  • return 57 of the 58 goals scored
• 2024, by the numbers:
  • goals scored: 6
  • assists: 5
  • goals allowed: 4
  • saves: 5
• Defender Notes:
  • the Defenders have qualified for the GPAC postseason tournament eight consecutive seasons, 20 of 24 overall
  • Dordt had a program record 19 NAIA Scholar Athletes last year
  • three Defenders, Sydney Hooyer, Karinna Tel and Abby Worthy, were named CSC Academic All-District
  • Karinna Tel earned CSC Academic All-American honors last year, the first player in program history to earn the honor
  • Tel was the GPAC Player of the Year and NAIA All-American in 2023
    • she was the second player in program history to earn the national honor
  • Tel was named the GPAC Player of the Week for her play last weekend
    • this is the fifth time Tel has earned the honor in her career
  • Tel ranks in the career top 10 in:
    • goals - 41 (6th)
    • assists - 26 (3rd)
    • points - 108 (4th)
  • last time Dordt recorded a shutout:
    • vs Hastings, Nov. 7 2023 - GPAC semifinals
  • last time Dordt was shutout:
    • vs Hastings, Oct. 25  2023
  • Dordt has scored at least one goal in six straight matches