The Dordt Defender women's volleyball team went five sets with No. 6 Northwestern College on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at the De Witt Gymnasium in Sioux Center. The Defenders rallied from a 2-1 deficit to force set five but lost a tightly contested fith set, 15-12, losing the GPAC opener for both teams.
Box Score (PDF)
How It Happened
Set 1 (25–20 Dordt):
- Dordt established an early lead, but gave up the lead at 22-21 and trailed 24-21. An Ellie Dokter kill followed by a Haley Kuperus kill forced a Northwestern timeout.
- An attack error and bad set after the timeout put Dordt up 25-24 and a block by the Defenders won it.
Set 2 (25–16 Northwestern):
- Northwestern extended the lead to 11-5 early and Dordt was unable to rally in falling 25-16.
Set 3 (25–15 Northwestern):
- Northwestern won a nearly identical set three decision, controlling from the start and building a ten point lead at 22-12 before winning 25-15.
Set 4 (25–18 Dordt):
- Dordt responded by battling to seven ties up to 14-14 before an attack error by Northwestern started a three-point Dordt run.
- Leading 20-18 the Defenders got back to back kills by Laney Wolfswinkel to ignite a five-point run to win 25-18
Set 5 (15–12 Northwestern):
- There were seven ties up to a 12-12 deadlock after a Tarren Spartz and Haley Kuperus block.Â
- Three straight points after a Northwestern timeout finished the match
The Numbers
- Northwestern had a 58-46 kills advantage
- Northwestern had five ace serves and 10 errors. Dordt had four aces and nine errors.
- Dordt scored 17 points on blocks to Dordt's 11.
- Northwestern had 88 digs and Dordt 84.
Dordt Individuals
NEXT
- Dordt will travel to Forest City, Iowa on Wednesday night to face Waldorf. Dordt is 6-3 overall and 0-1 in GPAC play.
