Game Time: 

• postseason play begins for the Dordt University men's soccer team as they play host to Midland (Neb.) for a GPAC Quarterfinal match this weekend
• kickoff on Saturday, Oct.31 on the Defenders Soccer Complex is scheduled for 5pm
• Dordt is the No.2 seed in the 8-team GPAC Tournament bracket; the Defenders are 10-5-3 and are unbeaten over their last seven matches
• Midland is the No.7 seed in the bracket with a 3-7-5 record

How to Follow:

• live stats for all matches can be found at this link: Live Stats
• watch the match live via the Dordt Media Network: Watch 
• GPAC Postseason Tournament | 

All-Time vs Midland:

• Dordt is 11-14-2 all-time in the rivalry against Midland
• first match played: 2002
• last time: Dordt and Midland played to a 1-1 tie earlier this season on October 24 in Fremont, Neb.
  • scoreless until the 53rd minute, Joseba Zabala put Dordt in front 1-0 after an assist from Joao Locatelli
  • Midland tied the match with one second left on a goal by Kobe Parker
  • Midland outshot Dordt 14-10 (total); Dordt held the edge 5-4 in shots on-goal
  • Sean Christenson made three saves
  • Tomas Reyes stopped four Dordt shots
• Dordt is 5-9 all-time at home against Midland
• Midland defeated Dordt 6-1 in the only match played in the postseason (2014 GPAC semifinals in Sioux Center)
• Dordt is 2-1-2 in its last five matches vs Midland
• the Defenders are 4-3-3 in its last 10 matches vs Midland
• Dordt has shutout Midland four times
• Dordt has been shutout by Midland five times

GPAC Tournament Schedule:

Saturday, Oct.31
Quarterfinal Round
#8 Doane at #1 Concordia, 6pm
#5 Briar Cliff at #4 Dakota Wesleyan, 7pm
#6 Northwestern at #3 Morningside, 1pm
#7 Midland at #2 Dordt, 5pm

Friday, November 6, 2026
Semifinal Round - High Seeds Host
#8/#1 winner vs. #5/#4 winner, time TBA
#6/#3 winner vs. #7/#2 winner,  time TBA

Tuesday, November 10, 2026
GPAC Postseason Championship
Semifinal winners at highest seed remaining, time TBA

GPAC Standings (Final):

• Concordia - 10-0: 30pts
• Dordt - 6-2-2: 20pts
• Morningside - 6-2-2: 20pts
• Dakota Wesleyan - 6-3-1: 19pts
• Briar Cliff - 5-4-1: 16pts
• Northwestern - 4-3-3: 15pts
• Midland - 3-3-4: 13pts
• Doane - 3-6-1: 10pts
• Mount Marty - 2-6-2: 8pts
• Hastings - 1-7-2: 5pts
• Waldorf - 0-10; 0pts

GPAC Tournament History:

• Dordt:
  • this is the Defenders 18th postseason tournament appearance
  • this is the first postseason appearance since 2024
  • Dordt is 6-17 all-time in the postseason
  • the Defenders reached the semifinals six times, including back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023
  • Dordt is 0-1 against Midland in the postseason
    • lost 6-1 in the 2014 GPAC semifinals
• Midland:
  • the Warriors are playing in their 17th postseason tournament
  • this is the fifth straight season that Midland qualified for postseason
  • Midland is 18-15 all-time in the postseason
  • the Warriors won the GPAC Tournament 2x - 2009 and 2013
  • they are a 4x runner-up: 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014

Defenders News and Notes:

• Head Coach (Interim): Tim Lee (1st year)
  • Lee is joined on staff by Michael Catanzarite (1st year), David Lee (5th year), Stevie Hodes (1st year) and Brandon Hansen (1st year)
• GPAC Preseason Poll:
  • picked eighth of 11 teams in the GPAC preseason poll
• Dordt finished the 2025 season with a 5-6-6 overall record
• the Defenders went 2-4-4 and finished seventh among 11 teams in conference play
• 10 players who started at least one match return, 13 total returners
• this is the 49th season of Defender men's soccer (began in 1978)
• 2026 Record: 6-2-2 (2nd in GPAC), 10-5-3; 20pts
  • the Defenders are unbeaten in their last seven matches (5-0-2), longest since 2022 (7-0-5)
  • the 2nd place finish is the highest in program history (3rd place in 2014)
  • last time out:
    • tied Northwestern 2-2 on Wednesday, Oct. 28
    • trailed 1-0 at the half
    • Joseba Zabala tied the match early in the second half
    • Julian Janssen put the Defenders up 2-1 with a goal at the 65th minute
    • Northwestern tied the match at the 69th minute
    • shots on-goal were even 7-7
  • Alvaro Boned was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week
  • Jayden Donald was named the GPAC Offensive Player of the week
  • Pablo Martin earned GPAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept.8, first Defenders player to earn the honor since 2023 (week 9 - Mitchell Dryden)
• 2026, By the Numbers:
  • 42 goals scored (2.4 / match) - 2nd in the GPAC
  • 26 goals allowed (1.5 / match) - 4th in the GPAC
• 2026 Leaders:
  • Pablo Martin - 8 goals (6th in GPAC), 7 assists (2nd in GPAC), 23pts, 33 shots on-goal (1st in GPAC)
  • Joseba Zabala - 8 goals (6th), 1 assist, 17pts (9th)
  • Jayden Donald - 3 goals, 9 assists (1st)
  • Ike D'Silva - 5 goals, 3 assists, 16 shots on-goal
  • Tate Hansen - 4 goals, 2 assists
  • Alvaro Boned - 1.5 goals vs (4th in GPAC), 70 saves (3rd in GPAC), 6 shutouts

Scouting Reports:

• Midland Warriors:
  • 2026: 3-3-4 10pts (7th in GPAC), 3-7-5 overall
    • last time out: lost to #22 Concordia 3-1
      • trailed 2-0 at the half
      • Akseli Partanen cut the lead down to one with a goal at the 58th minute
      • Tomas Reyes made eight saves
      • Midland was outshot 11-7 (on-goal)
  • Head Coach: Ari Galvan-Brasesco (1st year)
    • hired in the spring of 2026
    • previously served as an assistant for Iowa Western Community College
    • also a coach for the Evolution Soccer Club
  • last year (2025): 7-2-1 (2nd), 13-4-2 overall
    • lost to Briar Cliff in GPAC Quarterfinal 3-2
  • picked 4th in GPAC preseason poll
  • return nine starters, 14 players
  • 2026 stats:
    • scored 26 goals: 1.7 goals / match (9th in GPAC)
    • allowed 33 goals: 2.2 / match (7th in GPAC)
  • Key Players:
    • Juan Villadiego - 5 goals, 3 assists (6th in GPAC), 17 shots on-goal (10th)
    • Jaime Jerez - 3 goals, 1 assist
    • Nacho Salmeron (all-conference) - 2 goals, 1 assist
    • Matus Vina (all-conference) - 2 goals
    • Hugo Fragueiro (all-conference) - 1 goal
    • Tomas Reyes (all-conference) - 76 saves (2nd), 2.3 goals against average