The Dordt University women's soccer team earned its first win of the season in emphatic fashion, defeating Bethel College (Kan.) 6–1 on Saturday night at the Defender Soccer Complex. The Defenders were led by senior forward
Karinna Tel, who delivered a four-goal performance, and
Maria Zylstra who totaled a career-best three assists.
The Defenders improve to 1-2 this season; Bethel falls to 0-2.
First Half Surge
Dordt wasted no time asserting control, opening the scoring in the seventh minute when
Karinna Tel outraced the Bethel defense and found the back of the net off a long setup from
Vicky Granda. Just five minutes later,
Abby Foster doubled the lead with a well-placed shot, assisted by both Tel and a nifty cross from
Maria Eenigenburg.
Tel continued her scoring spree in the 38th minute, converting a pass from
Maria Zylstra and Granda to make it 3–0. Less than two minutes later, Tel struck again, this time assisted solely by Zylstra, giving Dordt a 4–0 lead heading into halftime.
Second Half Control
The Defenders picked up right where they left off in the second half. In the 53rd minute, Tel completed her four-goal performance with a clinical finish off a pass from
Paige Miller. Dordt's final goal came in the 81st minute when
Kendal Gordon capitalized on a feed from Zylstra to extend the lead to 6–0.
Bethel managed a late consolation goal in the 87th minute off a long shot by Malayasia Larque coming from an assist by Beth Lloyd.
By the Numbers:
- Dordt accounted for a season-best 28 shots, 19 on-frame; Bethel totaled seven shots with five on-goal
- seven Defenders recorded at least one point in the match, led by Tel with nine and Maria Zylstra with three
- the Defenders goalkeeper duo of Lydia Zylstra (2 saves, 70 minutes) and Abi Green Martinez (1 save, 2 minutes) combined for three saves
- Dordt played 21 different players with all seeing at least 11 minutes of field time
- Abi Keltner and Lameese Batarseh played the full 90 minutes
- Bethel's Jacie Scott made seven saves in the first half; Cadence Mcmenamy totaled five saves over the final 45 minutes
Defender Notes:
- Tel secured the ninth hat-trick of her career and second four-goal match (vs Northwestern, 2024)
- Tel's four goals is one shy of matching her career best, accomplished 2x (vs Waldorf and College of Saint Mary, 2024)
- this was Tel's 19th match with multiple goals
- the six goals scored is most since netting six in the final match of the 2024 regular season against Northwestern
- Granda, Gordon, Eenigenburg and Miller all recorded their first career point
Up Next:
- Dordt will host Culver Stockton (Mo.) on Wednesday afternoon at 2pm
