Game Time:

• The Dordt University women's soccer team continues its 2025 season with a mid-week match against Culver-Stockton College (Mo.). Kickoff is at the Defenders Soccer Complex is at 2pm on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
• all home matches for the 2025 season are available to watch via the Dordt Media Network:
  • Watch |
• Live Stats are also available for all of the Defenders matches, both home and away
  • Live Stats | 
• Program (rosters / stats)

All-Time:

• this will be the first ever match-up between Dordt and Culver-Stockton
• Dordt went 2-1 against teams from the Heart of America Athletic Conference in 2024, the same league that Culver-Stockton plays in
  • def. William Penn and Benedictine; lost to MidAmerica Nazarene
• the Defenders will play another team from the HAAC this weekend as they face the league favorite, 12th-ranked Missour Valley 

GPAC Preseason Poll:

• the Defenders were picked to finish third of 12 teams in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) poll 
• this is the second consecutive season Dordt is picked to finish third
• Dordt totaled 97 points, trailing Hastings (1st) and Concordia (2nd) with 120 and 108 points, respectively

Schedule Outlook:

• the Defenders play an 18-match schedule this season, seven non-conference and 11 within GPAC play
• Dordt opens the season with six non-conference matches, three at home and three on the road
• following its final non-conference match on Sept. 6 against 12th-ranked Missouri Valley, Dordt begins its 11-match GPAC slate against Midland (Neb.) on Sept.20
• Dordt will play its final non-conference match on Oct.22 against Dakota State before closing out the regular season at Concordia (Oct.25) and home against Northwestern (Oct.29)
• GPAC postseason tournament play begins with the quarterfinals on Nov.4
• 2025 Schedule | 

Defenders News and Notes:

• 2025 Record: 1-2
  • following an 0-2 start with losses to Eastern Oregon and #3 College of Idaho, the Defenders earned their first win of the season with a 6-1 win against Bethel (Kan.) in their home opener
  • Karinna Tel netted four goals and both Abby Foster and Kendal Gordon scored one goal each
  • Maria Zylstra contributed three assists in the win
• Head Coach: Payton Chitwood (1st year)
  • hired on March 27, 2025, Chitwood is set to make his Defenders coaching debut this weekend
  • Chitwood is the sixth different individual to lead the Defenders women's program since it began in 1996
  • Chitwood previously served as the head of the Warner University women's program (Fla.) from 2017-24 (8 years)
    • overall record at Warner: 51-81-14
    • named SUN Conference Coach of the Year (2018)
  • Chitwood also served as an assistant coach for Trinity International University from 2011-17
• By the Numbers, 2025:
  • goals scored: 7
    • total shots: 35
    • on-goal: 23
  • goals allowed: 8
    • total shots allowed: 59
    • on-goal allowed: 30
• in 2024:
  • 7-3-1 (3rd in GPAC), 12-5-1 overall
    • lost to Concordia 1-0 in GPAC semifinals
• return 13 players who started at least one match in 2024
• statistical leaders:
  • Karinna Tel - 5 goals
  • Karinna Tel - 15 shots, 9 on-goal
  • Lydia Zylstra (1-2) - 20 saves
  • Abi Keltner - 270 minutes played
• returning all-conference players:
  • Karinna Tel - GPAC Player of the Year (2x); 2x NAIA All-American, career points, goals and assists leader
  • Joslyn Terpstra - 1st team; single season record holder with 16 assists
  • Abby Worthy - 2nd team
  • Paige Miller - Honorable Mention
  • Hayden Jennett - Honorable Mention

Scouting Report - Culver-Stockton Wildcats:

• 2025 Record: 3-0
  • def. Waldorf, Stephens and Harris-Stowe
• Head Coach: Tyler Tomlinson (15th year)
  • hired in Feb. of 2011 and is the fourth head coach in program history
  • career record of 126-106-24
    • all-time winningest coach
    • best season: 2021: 13-4-2 (tied program record for wins - also 2003)
• Conference: Heart of America Athletic Conference (14 teams)
  • picked 6th in preseason coaches poll
  • #12 Missouri Valley is conference favorite, followed by #18 Central Methodist, MidAmerica Nazarene and (RV) Benedictine
• last year's record: 10-7-2  overall ,4-6-1 (6th place)
  • unbeaten in last five regular season matches
  • lost to 6th-ranked Central Methodist 1-0 in quarterfinals
• return six starters, 19 players
  • return 26 of 33 goals scored, 16 of 20 assists
• key returners (stats from last year):
  • Alayna Chandler-Gutierrez (all-conference) - led team with 14 goals scored, 1 assist
  • Halle Jennex - totaled 10 points (3 goals, 4 assists)
  • Rian Moore - totaled 10 points (3 goals, 4 assists)
  • Mikayla Giola - 2 goals, 3 assists
• Statistical Leaders for the 2025 season:
  • Rian Moore- 4 goals
  • Alayna Chandler-Gutierrez - 1 goal, 3 assists
  • Lexi Clark - 1 goal, 2 assists (named HAAC Player of the Week)
  • Sam Link - 3-0 record, played all 270 minutes, 10 saves, .67 GAA