Game Time:

• The Dordt University men's soccer team heads to Davenport, Iowa, this weekend to play St.Ambrose for its final tune-up before the beginning of GPAC play
• start time on Saturday, Sept.13 is set for 3pm at St. Vincent's Athletic Complex
• Follow the match live via the St.Ambrose webcast at the link below:
  • Watch |
• Live Stats are also available for all of the Defenders matches, both home and away
  • Live Stats | 

All-Time:

• Saturday's match will be the third all-time in the rivalry between the two teams
• Dordt earned a 1-0 win in 2011 in Sioux Center; the Defenders lost 4-3 to the Fighting Bees in 2004

GPAC Preseason Poll:

• the Defenders were picked to finish eighth of 11 teams in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) poll released last week
• Dordt totaled 37 points, 12 points in back of No.7 Dakota Wesleyan and three points in front of No.9 Doane

Schedule Outlook:

• The Defenders play a 17-match schedule in 2025, featuring a 10-match conference slate and seven non-conference matches
• Saturday's match will be the final tune-up prior to the start of the GPAC slate
• Dordt opens GPAC play at home against Midland on Sept. 20
• the Defenders will play their final non-conference match on Oct.4 against Bellevue
• GPAC Tournament play begins with the quarterfinals on Nov.1
• 2025 Schedule | 

Defenders News and Notes:

• 2025 Record: 2-1-2
  • Dordt extended its unbeaten streak to four with a 1-1 tie against the University of Saint Mary (Kan.) last weekend
  • down 1-0, Pedro Menezes netted the equalizer off a corner kick from Anton Forsch during the 26th minute
  • Shad Jaeger (2-0-1) stopped three Saint Mary shots whle four players (Menezes, Forsch, Pablo Martin Domingo and Tyson Reitsma) all had one shot on-goal
• Head Coach: Eric Bourdo (3rd year)
  • spent four years as ass't at Dordt before being named head coach (2019 - 2022)
  • guided the Defenders to a 9-7-4 record his first season in 2023, tied for the most wins in a season since 2014
  • Defenders have qualified for the GPAC tournament in each of the previous two seasons under Bourdo
    • lost in the GPAC semi's in 2023
• by the Numbers, 2025:
  • goals scored: 7
    • total shots: 66
    • on-goal: 31
  • goals allowed: 3
    • total shots allowed: 35
    • on-goal allowed: 15
• in 2024:
  • 4-3-3 (6th place in GPAC), 6-8-4 overall
    • lost to Northwestern in GPAC Quarterfinals
• return nine starters, 18 players from 2024
• the Defenders have allowed two goals or fewer in every match this season and have not allowed more than one goal in four consecutive matches
• statistical leaders:
  • seven different players have scored one goal 
  • assists - Enzo Lira de Paula: 2
  • shots on-goal - Tate Hansen and Tyson Reitsma: 4
  • saves - 7: JD Petitt
  • minutes played - Levi Jaeger: 424
    • Anton Forsch: 407
• returning all-conference players:
  • Marco Laenen (2023)
  • Nolan Karel (2024)
  • Tyson Reitsma (2x, 2022 and 2024)
  • Levi Jaeger (2024)

Scouting Report - St.Ambrose University Fighting Bees

• 2025 Record: 5-1
  • the Bees suffered their first loss of the season last time out, falling to Grand View 3-1 on Sept.10
    • Grand View led 1-0 by halftime and scored its second goal during the 53rd minute
    • SAU netted its only goal four minutes later (57th minute) by Luiz Ferbeyre
    • Saint Ambrose totaled eight shots, three on-goal; Grand View accounted for 24 shots, 10 on-goal
  • Saint Ambrose has wins over Dakota Wesleyan, Mount Mercy, Upper Iowa, Knox College and Culver-Stockton
• Head Coach: Chad Hollmer (5th year)
  • hired in December of 2019
  • previous coaching stops at Clarke and Mount Mercy
• Conference: Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (11 teams)
  • two teams from the CCAC, Governors State and Trinity Christian, received votes in the last NAIA poll
• in 2024: 2-7-1 (9th of 11 teams), 2-10-1
  • did not qualify for conference tournament
• return eight starters, 14 players
  • return 15 of 25 goals scored, 6 of 14 assists
• by the numbers:
  • 14 goals, 2.43/ match
  • 7 goals allowed, 1.21/ match
• key returners:
  • Joe Campbel - led team in scoring last year with four goals
  • Hunter Lillie 
  • Ricardo Ronconi - scored 2 goals, 2 assists last year
  • Eli Elliott - netted three goals last season
• Statistical Leaders for the 2025 season:
  • Jake Pollack - 4 goals
  • Jorn Reck- 3 assists
  • Jake Pollack - 7 shots on-goal
  • Dawson Yegge (5-1 record), 27 saves, 1.21 GAA