The Dordt Defender volleyball team rallied from an eight-point deficit in the opening set, controlled the second set and recovered from a five-point deficit in the third to earn a 25-22, 25-21, 25-23 sweep of Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon at the Vos Family Gymnasium. The victory improved Dordt to 18-7 overall and 9-4 in Great Plains Athletic Conference play. Dakota Wesleyan fell to 17-8 overall and 6-7 in the GPAC. Dordt has won seven matches in a row in GPAC play.
Box Score (PDF)
Dordt's resilience was evident throughout the match, particularly in the opening and deciding sets, as the Defenders found ways to respond when Dakota Wesleyan appeared ready to take control.
Dakota Wesleyan built an 18-10 lead in the first set and looked poised to take the early advantage. Dordt began chipping away, with
Chloe Huisman serving a pivotal stretch that turned the momentum.
Huisman delivered three consecutive service aces to pull Dordt within 19-15. She followed with a kill that made it 19-16, and an attack error by Dakota Wesleyan brought the Defenders within two points at 19-17. Huisman added another ace to make it 19-18, capping a run of eight straight Dordt points while she was serving.
After Dakota Wesleyan stopped the run, Dordt kept pushing.
Shayna Van Dyken recorded a kill to make it 20-19,
Ellie Weg finished a kill for a 21-20 score, and
Laney Wolfswinkel delivered two consecutive kills to give Dordt its first lead of the late rally at 22-21. An attack error by Dakota Wesleyan made it 23-21.
Dakota Wesleyan pulled within 23-22, but
Breanna Beckering's kill gave Dordt set point at 24-22. Wolfswinkel closed out the set with another kill, completing the comeback for a 25-22 win.
Dordt carried its momentum into the second set and won 25-21. After Dakota Wesleyan briefly led 2-1, the Defenders used a strong serving stretch from Kayleigh Hybertson to take command. Hybertson recorded two aces during a run that helped Dordt move in front 6-3, and a Dakota Wesleyan attack error extended the lead to 7-3.
The teams traded points through the middle of the set, but Dordt maintained the advantage. Wolfswinkel and Van Dyken provided key kills, while Dordt's serving pressure helped keep Dakota Wesleyan from building sustained momentum.
Dakota Wesleyan made a late push, cutting Dordt's lead to 22-20. The Defenders answered with an attack error by Dakota Wesleyan and then finished the set with a block by
Ada Dekkers and
Haley Kuperus, followed by a Dekkers kill off a
Carlee Jackson assist for the 25-21 win.
Dordt hit .308 in the second set, recording 16 kills with just four errors on 39 attacks.
Dakota Wesleyan opened the third set with a 12-7 lead, putting the Defenders in another comeback situation. Dordt steadily closed the gap with kills from Kuperus and Van Dyken, along with points created by Dakota Wesleyan attack errors.
The Defenders moved within 12-10, then continued to trade points with the Tigers. Kills from Van Dyken and Wolfswinkel helped Dordt stay within reach, and the Defenders eventually drew even at 21-21 after trailing 21-17. Two Dakota Wesleyan attack errors and a block by Weg and Kuperus fueled the rally.
Dordt took a 22-21 lead on a Weg kill set up by
Carlee Jackson. Dakota Wesleyan tied the score at 22-22, and the teams traded points to reach 23-23. Beckering then delivered a kill off a Huisman assist to give Dordt match point at 24-23. The Defenders closed out the sweep when a Dakota Wesleyan attack went wide, sealing the 25-23 set win.
Dordt finished with 41 kills and hit .167 for the match, compared with 31 kills and a .108 hitting percentage for Dakota Wesleyan. The Defenders also held advantages in assists, service aces, digs and total blocks.
Dordt will host Waldorf on Wednesday, October 28 at home before going to Concordia on October 31.
Dordt leaders
- Kills: Laney Wolfswinkel, 11; Shayna Van Dyken, 10; Breanna Beckering, 6.
- Hitting efficiency: Beckering, .357 (6 kills, 1 error, 14 attacks); Van Dyken, .348 (10 kills, 2 errors, 23 attacks).
- Assists: Carlee Jackson, 18; Chloe Huisman, 14.
- Service aces: Huisman, 3; Peyton Poppema, 3; Kylie Beckering, 2.
- Digs: Kylie Beckering, 14; Maddy Jackson, 12; Carlee Jackson, 10.
- Blocks: Ellie Weg, 7 total blocks (1 solo, 6 assists); Ada Dekkers, 3 block assists; Haley Kuperus, 4 block assists.
Team statistical comparison
| Statistic |
Dordt |
Dakota Wesleyan |
| Kills |
41 |
31 |
| Attack errors |
21 |
18 |
| Total attacks |
120 |
120 |
| Hitting % |
.167 |
.108 |
| Assists |
38 |
29 |
| Service aces |
8 |
5 |
| Service errors |
8 |
8 |
| Reception errors |
5 |
8 |
| Digs |
55 |
50 |
| Block solos |
1 |
2 |
| Block assists |
18 |
10 |
| Total blocks |
19 |
12 |
| Points |
59.0 |
43.0 |
