Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 The Dordt Defender men's volleyball team started the 2026 season wtih a pair of wins at a classic hosted by Olivet Narzarene in Bourbannais, Illinois over Midland (Kentucky) and Rio Grande (Ohio). The Defenders will play two more matches at the event on Friday, January 23.
VS MIDWAY
Dordt opened the 2026 season with a commanding straight-set victory over Midway on Thursday afternoon, sweeping the Eagles 25-13, 25-14, 25-14 at McHie Arena. The Defenders set the tone early with aggressive serving, strong work at the net, and efficient offensive execution, hitting .367 as a team while holding Midway to a -.150 attack percentage.
Box Score (PDF)
The first set was decided quickly as Dordt jumped out to a 4–0 lead behind two Joel Van Groningen service aces and an early block by Kai Chapman. Midway briefly halted the momentum, but Dordt responded with a decisive 13–2 run to create separation. That stretch included multiple transition kills from Van Groningen and Cade Schmidt, a Joseph Jang service ace, and back-to-back block points by Cory Kuperus and Chapman. Dordt extended its lead to 19–6 before closing the set behind late kills from Schmidt and Van Groningen.
Midway showed early energy in the second set, scoring five of the first seven points with two Jaden Alston kills and a block. Dordt answered with a 7–1 run fueled by McCullough Unruh's serve, which featured consecutive service aces and steady side-out offense from Van Groningen. Later in the set, Dordt used a 9–1 surge to pull away from an 11–11 tie. Colt Schmidt recorded two straight service aces during the run, while Cade Schmidt and Lance Vermeer combined for three kills as Dordt pushed the lead to 20–11. A Travis Hoogstra kill closed the set at 25–14.
The Defenders carried their momentum into the third set, using an 8–1 run to turn a 1–1 tie into a commanding advantage. The run featured two block assists by Joel Van Groningen and Lance Vermeer, a Michael Gross service ace, and kills from Van Groningen and Nicodemus Elliott. Dordt continued to pressure Midway offensively, extending the margin to 16–7 with additional block points and forced attack errors. After Midway narrowed the gap to 12–20, Dordt finished the match with a 5–2 closing run, capped by a Bradley Neff kill to seal the sweep.
Team Comparison
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Kills: Dordt 33 | Midway 14
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Kill Efficiency: Dordt .367 | Midway -.150
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Digs: Dordt 19 | Midway 16
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Blocks: Dordt 19 (3 solo, 16 assists) | Midway 4
Dordt Individual Leaders
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Kills: Joel Van Groningen (8), Cade Schmidt (6), Lance Vermeer (5), Nicodemus Elliott (4), Bradley Neff (3)
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Assists: McCullough Unruh (12), Joseph Jang (12), Colt Schmidt (2), Ethan Pauls (1), Justin Hofman (1)
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Digs: Colt Schmidt (5), Cade Schmidt (2), Michael Gross (2), Joel Van Groningen (2), Kai Chapman (1)
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Service Aces: Joel Van Groningen (4), McCullough Unruh (2), Colt Schmidt (2), Joseph Jang (1), Ethan Pauls (1)
Blocks: Cade Schmidt (2 solo, 2 assists), Lance Vermeer (4 assists), Joel Van Groningen (2 assists), Cory Kuperus (2 assists), Kai Chapman (2 assists)
VS RIO GRANDE
Dordt completed a successful opening day in Bourbonnais with a hard-fought straight-set victory over Rio Grande on Thursday night, winning 25-15, 28-26, 25-18 at McHie Arena. The Defenders were tested in an extended second set, but used serving runs, steady offense, and strong defense at the net to remain unbeaten on the day.
Box Score (PDF)
The opening set featured multiple early ties and lead changes as neither team could gain separation. Rio Grande opened with a service ace and later held brief leads at 1–0, 3–2, and 5–4 behind kills from Daniel Rivas and Samael Beltran. Dordt responded each time, tying the score on kills from Kai Chapman and Cade Schmidt. The first significant swing came with Dordt trailing 7–6, when Lance Vermeer stepped back to serve and delivered consecutive service aces to give the Defenders their first two-point cushion at 7–5. Dordt followed with a 4–1 run highlighted by a Nicodemus Elliott kill and a Joel Van Groningen transition finish to extend the lead to 10–6. Later, Dordt turned an 11–10 advantage into an 18–11 lead with a 7–1 stretch that included two Van Groningen kills, a Cade Schmidt kill, and a Rio Grande attack error. The Defenders closed the set on a 4–1 run, capped by a Cory Kuperus kill, to take the opener 25–15.
Set two developed into a back-and-forth battle with 14 ties and multiple lead changes. Dordt briefly built a 6–3 lead behind a Lance Vermeer kill and back-to-back Rio Grande attack errors, but Rio Grande answered with a 5–2 run to even the score at 8–8. The Eagles continued to apply pressure and eventually took a 14–13 lead after a Tonoli kill, but Dordt immediately tied the set on a Joel Van Groningen kill. The teams traded points deep into the set, with ties at 15–15, 17–17, 18–18, 20–20, and 23–23. Dordt gained a late 23–21 advantage behind consecutive Cade Schmidt kills, but Rio Grande forced extra points with a kill and a Dordt error to tie it at 24–24. After exchanging points again at 25–25 and 26–26, Dordt finished the set on a 2–0 run, getting a Van Groningen kill followed by a block by Van Groningen and Cory Kuperus to secure the 28–26 win.
The third set saw Dordt seize control early with a 4–0 run to open the frame, sparked by a Van Groningen kill and back-to-back blocks by Cory Kuperus and Kai Chapman. Rio Grande trimmed the deficit to 6–5 after a service ace and a Rivas kill, but Dordt answered with a 5–2 stretch that included a Bradley Neff service ace and kills from Van Groningen and Kuperus to push the lead to 11–7. The Defenders extended the margin to 16–11 behind steady side-out play and another Van Groningen kill. Rio Grande made one final push, scoring three straight points to cut the lead to 21–18, but Dordt closed the match with a decisive 4–0 run, using two Rio Grande attack errors and a pair of blocks to seal the sweep.
Team Comparison
- Kills: Dordt 32 | Rio Grande 31
- Kill Efficiency: Dordt .439 | Rio Grande .084
- Digs: Dordt 22 | Rio Grande 14
- Blocks: Dordt 15 total blocks | Rio Grande 5
Dordt Individual Leaders
