The Dordt University men's volleyball team earned a four-set road win over Illinois Tech on Saturday afternoon at the Keating Sports Center, taking the match 25-16, 25-19, 16-25, 25-12.
Box Score (PDF)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Dordt controlled the opening set with steady sideout play and pressure from the service line. After an early tie at 4-4, the Defenders used a 6-2 run highlighted by a
Cade Schmidt kill, a
Joel Van Groningen service ace, and a
Bradley Neff ace to open up separation. Illinois Tech briefly trimmed the margin to four, but Dordt closed the set on a 4-0 run that included a Neff ace and a Schmidt/Vermeer block to secure the 25-16 decision.
The second set followed a similar script, with Dordt gradually pulling away after several early ties. With the score tied at 1-1, the Defenders rattled off a 4-1 stretch behind kills from Kai Champman and Schmidt, along with a Van Groningen ace. Dordt later pushed the lead to 18-10 as
Lance Vermeer and Schmidt combined on the block, forcing an Illinois Tech timeout. The Scarlet Hawks made a late push, but Dordt answered with kills from Van Groningen and Schmidt to close out the 25-19 win.
Illinois Tech responded in the third set, jumping out to an early lead and stringing together points from the service line. A 7-0 run put the hosts firmly in control, and despite Dordt trimming the deficit behind Champman kills, Illinois Tech maintained momentum and took the set 25-16.
Dordt quickly reasserted control in the fourth. After a brief 6-6 tie, the Defenders went on a decisive 9-3 run sparked by Vermeer kills, a Van Groningen ace, and a pair of Illinois Tech attack errors. Dordt continued to apply pressure at the net, extending the lead to 21-11 before closing the match with a Schmidt kill and another Illinois Tech attack error for the 25-12 finish.
THE NUMBERS
Team Comparison
- Kills: Dordt 40 | Illinois Tech 38
- Hitting Percentage: Dordt .286 | Illinois Tech .132
- Digs: Dordt 35 | Illinois Tech 29
- Blocks: Dordt 9.0 | Illinois Tech 6.0
Dordt Individual Leaders
Dordt improves to 4-1 on the season with the win.
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