Game Time: 

• the Dordt University men's soccer team continues its postseason when they host Northwestern for a semifinal match in the 2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) postseason tournament this weekend
• start time on Friday, Nov.6 is set for 6pm
• Dordt is the No.2 seed in the 8-team postseason tournament; the Defenders are 11-5-3 this season
• Northwestern is the No.6 seed in the postseason tournament with a 10-3-4 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 Northwestern:

• Dordt holds a 13-20-3 overall record in the rivalry against Northwestern
• first match played: 1995, the year that Northwestern began its men's soccer program
• last time: Dordt and Northwestern played to a 2-2 draw in the final match of the regular season for both teams played on Oct.28 in Orange City
  • Dordt held a slight edge in shots on-goal (7-6) and total shots (12-7)
  • Conal Shields put the Red Raiders up 1-0 with a goal off a corner kick in the fifth minute
  • Dordt tied it with a goal in the first minute of the second half by Joseba Zabala
  • the Defender then took the lead on a goal by Julian Janssen at the 65th minute
  • Northwestern ended the scoring and tied the match with a goal by Jovany Kabongo
  • Alvaro Boned and Sean Christensen each played a half in goal for Dordt
  • Edoardo Alessandrini made five saves in the full 90 minutes for NW
• Dordt is 0-7-3 over its last 10 matches against the Raiders
  • the three ties: 
    • 2026: 2-2
    • 2024: 1-1
    • 2022: 0-0
• Dordt's last win vs NW: 2-1 in 2014
• Dordt has shutout NW 4x
• the Defenders have been shutout by NW 11x
• Dordt is 0-3 all-time in the postseason against Northwestern

GPAC Tournament Schedule:

Saturday, Oct.31
Quarterfinal Round
#1 Concordia def. #8 Doane, 8-0
#4 Dakota Wesleyan tied #5 Briar Cliff 2-2, DWU advanced on PK's
#6 Northwestern def. #3 Morningside, 3-1
#2 Dordt def. #7 Midland, 1-0

Friday, November 6, 2026
Semifinal Round - High Seeds Host
#4 Dakota Wesleyan at #1 Concordia, 7pm
#6 Northwestern at #2 Dordt, 6pm

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 7-17 all-time in the postseason
  • this is the seventh time the Defenders have reached the semifinals
  • the Defenders are 0-6 in the semifinals, most recently losing in back-to-back years in 2023 and 2022
  • Dordt is 0-3 all-time against Northwestern in the postseason
    • 2004 - lost 5-1 in GPAC semifinals
    • 2023 - lost 4-3 (OT) in GPAC semifinals
    • 2024 - lost 5-1 in GPAC Quarterfinals
• Northwestern:
  • the Red Raiders are playing in their 21st postseason conference tournament
  • this is their third consecutive appearance
  • Northwestern owns a 17-18 overall record in conference tournament
  • they won the postseason tournament in 2023
  • Northwestern is 6-6 all-time in the semifinals

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), 11-5-3; 20pts
  • the Defenders are unbeaten in their last eight matches (6-0-2), longest since 2022 (7-0-5) and the fourth longest streak in program history
  • the 2nd place finish is the highest in program history (3rd place in 2014)
  • the 11 wins is the most since 2014 (13-7)
  • this is the 27th season with 10+ wins
  • last time out:
    • def. Midland 1-0 on Saturday, Oct.31 in the GPAC Quarterfinals
    • outshot Midland 7-5
    • Julian Janssen netted the game-winner at the 48th minute
    • Alvaro Boned made three saves
  • 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:
  • 43 goals scored (2.3 / match) - 3rd in the GPAC
  • 26 goals allowed (1.4 / match) - 4th in the GPAC
  • 7 shutouts - T1st in GPAC
• 2026 Leaders:
  • Pablo Martin - 8 goals (6th in GPAC), 7 assists (2nd in GPAC), 23pts, 34 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, 3 assists
  • Alvaro Boned - 1.4 goals vs (4th in GPAC), 73 saves (3rd in GPAC), 7 shutouts

Scouting Reports:

• Northwestern Red Raiders:
  • 2026: 4-3-3: 15pts (6th in GPAC), 10-3-4 overall
    • last time out: def. Morningside 3-1 in the GPAC Quarterfinals on Oct.31
      • outshot 10-5 by the Mustangs (on-goal)
      • trailed 1-0 after a Morningside goal at the 36th minute
      • Northwestern led 2-1 with a pair of goals by Gerrard Uamai (41st, 43rd minutes), at halftime
      • Bram Zwinkels put Northwestern up 3-1 at the 64th minute
      • Edoardo Alessandrini made six saves
  • Head Coach: Dan Swier (19th year)
    • 1st year in 2008
    • 4th head coach in program history (since 1995)
    • awarded 2025 GPAC Coach of the Year after leading the Red Raiders to the regular season title
    • all-time winningest coach and longest tenured coach in program history
    • guided NWC to 14 straight GPAC postseason tournaments
    • 3 GPAC titles (2025, 2023, 2021)
  • last year (2025): 9-0-1 (1st), 14-1-3 overall
    • tied Mount Marty 0-0 in GPAC Quarterfinals, lost in PK's
  • picked 2nd in GPAC preseason poll
  • return seven starters, 15 players
  • 2026 stats:
    • scored 40 goals: 2.6 goals / match (2nd in GPAC)
    • allowed 18 goals: 1.1 / match (1st in GPAC)
  • Key Players:
    • Rasmus Morrison - 9 goals (5th), 3 assists, 21pts (6th)
    • Emerson Brazones - 8 goals (6th), 4 assists (8th), 20pts (7th)
    • Gorka Ilundaine (1st team all-conference) - 4 goals, 1 assist
    • Juan Miranda (all-conference) - 5 assists
    • Edoardo Alessandrini (all-conference) - 69 saves (4th)