The Event: 

• The Dordt University women's soccer team begins conference play with a mid-week match-up against Midland (Neb.) in the GPAC opener for both teams. Start time on Heedum Field is set for Wednesday, Sept.18 at 5pm. Wednesday night's contest is a re-match of last year's GPAC Championship where Midland earned a 4-3 win in double overtime. 

All-Time:

• Wednesday's match will be the 33rd played in the rivalry between Dordt and Midland
• Dordt trails the all-time rivalry 13-18-1
• the Defenders have lost five straight and are 1-9 in their last 10 matches against Midland
• Dordt dropped both matches played last year (6-2 in regular season, 4-3 double overtime in the GPAC Championship)
• in 2023:
  • 6-2 loss on Sept. 23 in Sioux Center
    • Midland raced out to a 3-0 halftime lead and led 4-0 at the 46-minute mark
    • the Defenders scored their first goal (Ellie Stuart) during the 61st minute
    • Midland scored two more goals, one at 64th minute and the other during the 78th minute
    • Jolie Schouten netted the Defenders final goal 
    • Ashley Atkinson scored two goals for Midland
    • Hannah Tillison made nine saves in the full 90 minutes for Midland
    • Jenna Wright and Elianna Van Hulzen combined for six saves
  • 4-3 loss in the GPAC Championship on Nov.10 in Fremont, Neb.
    • Karinna Tel put Dordt in front 1-0 with a goal during the first minute
    • tied 1-1 at halftime, Tel put the Defenders up with her second goal early in the second half
    • Midland scored a pair of goals within a minute of each other to take a 3-2 lead with under 20 minutes left
    • Ellie Stuart sent the match into overtime with a goal during the 85th minute
    • Midland's Addison Catellanos scored the game winner during the 93rd minute
    • Lydia Zylstra made 10 saves for Dordt; Kyla Pires totaled three saves for Midland
• both teams have scored 57 goals in the rivalry
• the teams played to a scoreless tie in 2011
• most goals scored by Dordt - 9 (1999)
• most goals given up by Dordt - 6 (2x)
• Dordt has shutout Midland 10x (last time in 2020)
• Dordt has been shutout 7x (last time in 2021)
• Defenders last win - 1-0 in Fremont, Neb. in 2020

Around the GPAC: 

• all 12 GPAC teams are in action on the opening day of conference play 
  • Waldorf @ College of Saint Mary
  • Dakota Wesleyan @ Mount Marty
  • Briar Cliff @ Doane
  • Northwestern @ Concordia
  • Morningside @ Hastings

In the Rankings:

• Hastings is the lone GPAC team holding a spot (#25) in the latest NAIA Coaches' poll
• Midland received votes in the first poll of the 2024 season but has since dropped out

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)
• Midland was picked to finish fourth, along with Morningside, in the GPAC poll

Schedule Outlook:

• Wednesday's match is the first of 11 in conference play
• eight teams qualify for the GPAC Tournament, beginning on Nov.2 with the quarterfinals
• the GPAC Championship will be on Nov.12
• 2024 Schedule | 

Scouting Report on Midland:

• 2024 record: 0-0
  • this will be the season opener for the Warriors
• Head Coach: Keri Heedum (1st year)
  • hired in February of 2024
  • previously served as the director and coach for the BVB International Soccer Academy (Texas)
  • spent four years as an assistant coach for Xavier
  • 4-year starter at Xavier
• 2023 Record:  
  • 7-2-3 (3rd in GPAC), 13-5-4 overall
  • won the GPAC postseason tournament
  • qualified for the NAIA National Championship for the fourth time overall, first since 2019
  • lost to UC Merced 1-0 in the first round
  • boasted a 9-1 record at home
• return five starters, 11 players from 2023
  • return four all-conference players
  • 18 of 52 goals scored return; 10 of 32 assists return
  • No.2 scorer returns
  • return No.2 goalkeeper
• by the numbers (based on 2023 stats)
  • goals scored: 52 (2.3 / match - 3rd in GPAC) 
  • goals against: 19 (.85 / match - 4th in GPAC) 
• Key Players (Honors / 2023 stats)
  • Mikayla Chase (3x all-conference) 
  • Aminata Lewis (all-conference ) 10 goals, 1 assist
  • Addison Castellanos (all-conference) 4 goals, 1 assist
  • Rosa Schellmann (all-conference) 2 goals, 5 assists
  • Kyla Pries - 7-3-2 record, 4 shutouts, 1.0 goals against average

Defenders News and Notes:

• 2024 record: 4-1
  • last time out: def Nebraska Wesleyan 5-0
  • Ellie Stuart scored a pair of goals
  • Keely Kolbrek and Joslyn Terpstra both scored a goal and had an assist
  • Abby Foster netted the Defenders final goal
  • Jenna Wright totaled two 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: 18, 3.6 / match (1st in GPAC)
  • assists: 15
  • goals allowed: 4, .8 / match (3rd in GPAC)
  • saves: 31 (T6th)
• 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
  • Karinna Tel was named the GPAC Player of the Week - August 27
    • this is the fifth time Tel has earned the honor in her career
  • GPAC rankings:
    • Tel - 5 goals (3rd), 13pts (3rd), 3 assists (T3rd)
    • Joslyn Terpstra - 3 goals (T7th), 3 assists (T3rd), 9pts (4th)
    • Ellie Stuart - 3 goals (T7th)
    • Jenna Roberts - 3 assists (T3rd)
    • Wright - .75 GAA (3rd), 29 saves (4th)
  • last time Dordt recorded a shutout:
    • vs Nebraska Wesleyan (Sept.14)
  • last time Dordt was shutout:
    • vs Hastings, Oct. 25  2023
  • Dordt has recorded three straight shutouts, a streak of 280 minutes (3 full matches + final 10 minutes vs MNU)
  • Dordt has scored at least one goal in nine straight matches
  • Tel has scored a goal in seven of her last eight matches
  • Tel has recorded a point in eight straight matches
  • Tel ranks in the career top 10 in:
    • goals - 43 (6th)
    • assists - 28 (3rd)
    • points - 114 (4th)