The Event: 

• The Dordt University women's soccer team will play Nebraska Wesleyan this weekend for its final tune-up prior to the start of the conference slate. Kickoff on the Defenders home field is set for Saturday, Sept.14 at 1pm. The Defenders have not played since a 1-0 road win against 25th-ranked Benedictine on Sept.4, a period of 10 days. Dordt is 3-1 so far this season while Nebraska Wesleyan brings a 4-2 record into Saturday's match.

All-Time:

• Saturday's match will be the 24th played in the rivalry between Dordt and Nebraska Wesleyan
• this is the fourth consecutive season the teams have played
• Dordt has won four straight in the rivalry and leads the all-time series 12-10-1
• in 2023:
  • Dordt earned a 3-1 win against NWU in a match played on Sept.28 in Lincoln, Neb.
  • Abby Foster scored two first half goals and Karinna Tel netted a third with just a minute left
  • Lydia Zylstra made six saves
  • Dordt held an 8-7 advantage in shots on goal
  • Averie Hike scored a goal for the Prairie Wolves while Catthi Pham made three saves
• Dordt has outscored NWU 53-34 in the rivalry
• the teams played to a scoreless tie in 2007
• the former GPAC rivals played every season from 1996 - 2015 (2000-15 within the GPAC)
• Dordt's biggest win was an 8-1 victory in 2022 played in Sioux Center
• Nebraska Wesleyan has a pair of 4-0 wins vs Dordt
• Dordt has seven shutouts against the Wolves; NWU has shutout Dordt six times

Around the GPAC: 

• Weekend Matches:
  • Concordia @ York
  • Central Christian @ Mount Marty
  • Tabor @ Hastings

In the Rankings:

• Hastings is the lone GPAC team holding a spot (#25) in the latest NAIA Coaches' poll
• Loras, the preseason favorite from the American Rivers Conference which NWU is a member of, is ranked 13th in the NCAA D-III rating

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)
• Nebraska Wesleyan was picked to finish eighth out of nine teams in the American Rivers Conference preseason poll

Schedule Outlook:

• Saturday's match vs NWU is the Defenders final tune-up prior to GPAC play
• Dordt begins its 11-match conference slate on Wednesday, Sept.18 vs Midland, the defending postseason champion
• Wednesday's match will be a rematch from last year's final where Midland defeated Dordt 4-3 in overtime
• 2024 Schedule | 

Scouting Report on Nebraska Wesleyan:

• 2024 record: 4-2
  • last time out: def. Northwestern (Iowa) 2-1
  • have won three of its last four matches
  • recorded three shutouts this season
• Head Coach: Kevin Lebahn (2nd year)
  • hired in April of 2023; 12th head coach in program history
  • previously served as an assistant for both the men's and women's teams at Iowa Western Community College
  • led the Reivers to a national title in 2021
  • also served as an assistant at Augsburg College five years
• Conference: NCAA D-III American Rivers Conference (9 teams)
• 2023 Record:  
  • 1-5-2 (7th of 9 teams), 2-12-2
  • did not qualify for the 6-team ARC postseason tournament
• return eight starters, 12 players from 2023
  • return top goal scorer and one all-conference player
  • return No.1 goalkeeper
  • return nine of the 13 goals scored and two of the eight assists from last year
• by the numbers (based on 2024 stats)
  • goals scored: 17 (2.8 / match) 
  • goals against: 4 (.7 / match) 
• Key Players (Honors / 2024 stats)
  • Averie Hike (all-conference) - 6 goals, 1 assist
  • Nella Castaneda - 2 goals, 1 assist
  • Amanda Olivas - 1 goal, 3 assists
  • Emma Parker - 1 goal, 3 assists
  • Jena Schultz - 3-1 record, .47 GAA, 17 saves

Defenders News and Notes:

• 2024 record: 3-1
  • last time out: def 25th-ranked Benedictine 1-0
  • Joslyn Terpstra scored the game-winner off an assist by Karinna Tel during the 64th minute
  • Jenna Wright made a career-high 21 saves
• 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: 13, 3.25 / match (1st in GPAC)
  • assists: 11
  • goals allowed: 4, 1.0 / match (T3rd in GPAC)
  • saves: 29
• Defender Notes:
  • the Defenders have qualified for the GPAC postseason tournament eight consecutive seasons, 20 of 24 overall
  • Jenna Wright was named both the NAIA and GPAC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept.10)
    • Wright is the first Defenders player to earn the national honor since Elianna Van Hulzen in 2020
    • Wright's 21 saves is the most by a Dordt player for sure since 2006
  • Tel was named the GPAC Player of the Week - August 27
    • this is the fifth time Tel has earned the honor in her career
  • Tel ranks in the career top 10 in:
    • goals - 43 (6th)
    • assists - 28 (3rd)
    • points - 114 (4th)
  • GPAC rankings:
    • Tel - 5 goals (T2nd), 13pts (2nd), 3 assists (3rd)
    • Jenna Roberts, Joslyn Terpstra - 2 goals (T9th), 2 assists (T4th), 6pts (T8th)
    • Wright - 1.0 GAA (3rd), 27 saves (4th)
  • last time Dordt recorded a shutout:
    • vs No.25 Benedictine (Sept.4)
  • last time Dordt was shutout:
    • vs Hastings, Oct. 25  2023
  • Dordt has scored at least one goal in eight straight matches
  • Tel has scored a goal in seven of her last eight matches
  • Tel has recorded a point in eight straight matches