Game Time: 

• the Dordt University men's soccer team is set to play for the 2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Postseason Tournament championship on Tuesday, Nov.10 against Dakota Wesleyan
• kickoff at the Defenders Soccer Complex is set for 6pm
• Dordt is the No.2 seed in the eight team postseason tournament and is 12-5-3 overall
• Dakota Wesleyan is the No.4 seed in the tournament and is 9-5-2 overall

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 Dakota Wesleyan:

• Tuesday's match will be the second of the season and the 23rd all-time in the rivalry between the two teams
• first match played: 2006, the second year of the DWU program
• Dordt lost to Dakota Wesleyan 4-1 in a match played on Sept.30 in Sioux Center
  • Dordt outshot DWU 21-17 overall
  • DWU held a 13-12 advantage in shots on-goal
  • Dordt led 1-0 with an early goal from Tate Hansen
  • DWU tied the match with a goal by Aidan Bennett at the 15th minute
  • the Tigers scored three unanswered goals in the second half, all by a different player (Noile, Bolster and Rieder)
  • Alvaro Boned made a season-high seven saves for the Defenders
  • Carter Hanson made six saves for DWU
• Dordt is 8-3 all-time against DWU at home
• the Defenders are 4-5-1 in the last 10 matches against DWU
• Dordt's last win: 2023 (2-0 in Mitchell, S.D.)
• Dordt's last win at home vs DWU: 2022 (6-1)
• Dordt is 0-1 all-time against DWU in the postseason (lost 1-0) in the 2006 Regional
• Dordt has shutout DWU 3x
• Dordt has been shutout by DWU 5x

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 (2-1)
#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 tied #1 Concordia 2-2, advanced on PK's (5-4)
#2 Dordt def. #6 Northwestern, 1-0

Tuesday, November 10, 2026
GPAC Postseason Championship
#4 Dakota Wesleyan vs #2 Dordt, 6pm

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 8-17 all-time in the postseason
  • this will be the first time Dordt has played in the GPAC Championship match
  • the Defenders are 1-6 in the semifinals, earning their first win last Friday night against Northwestern 1-0
  • Dordt is 0-1 all-time against DWU in the postseason
    • lost 1-0 in the NAIA Region quarterfinals (there was no GPAC tournament)
• Dakota Wesleyan:
  • this is the Tigers 13th postseason tournament appearance since the program began in 2005
  • this is the fourth straight postseason tournament appearance
  • DWU is 5-12 all-time in the postseason
  • the Tigers are making their first GPAC Championship match appearance
  • is 1-3 all-time in the semifinals, earning their first win on Saturday against Concordia

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), 12-5-3; 20pts
  • the Defenders are unbeaten in their last nine matches (7-0-2), longest since 2022 (7-0-5) and tied for the third longest streak in program history
  • the 2nd place finish is the highest in program history (3rd place in 2014)
  • the 12 wins is the most since 2014 (13-7)
  • this is the 27th season with 10+ wins
  • last time out:
    • def. Northwestern 1-0 in the GPAC semifinals on Nov.6
    • outshot Northwestern 9-6
    • Ike D'Silva scored the game-winner off an assist by Pablo Martin at the 81st minute
    • Alvaro Boned made two 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:
  • 44 goals scored (2.3 / match) - 4th in the GPAC
  • 26 goals allowed (1.3 / match) - 3rd in the GPAC
  • 8 shutouts - 1st in GPAC
• 2026 Leaders:
  • Pablo Martin - 8 goals (7th in GPAC), 8 assists (2nd in GPAC), 24pts, 34 shots on-goal (T1st in GPAC)
  • Joseba Zabala - 8 goals (7th), 1 assist, 17pts (9th)
  • Jayden Donald - 3 goals, 9 assists (1st)
  • Ike D'Silva - 5 goals, 3 assists, 18 shots on-goal
  • Tate Hansen - 4 goals, 3 assists
  • Alvaro Boned - 1.4 goals vs (4th in GPAC), 73 saves (4th in GPAC), 8 shutouts

Scouting Reports:

• Dakota Wesleyan Tigers:
  • 2026: 6-3-1 (4th in GPAC), 9-5-2 overall
    • won three straight
    • last time out: tied #1 seed Concordia 2-2, advanced on PK's 5-4
      • outshot 10-6 by Concordia
      • fell behind 2-0 with Concordia goals during the 14th and 25th minutes
      • DWU answered with two goals in the second half
        • 50th minute: Evan Bolster
        • 54th minute: Luis Waeschle
      • Carter Hanson made eight saves and stopped the Bulldogs final PK attempt
  • Head Coach: Nicolas Reinhard - 5th year
    • named head coach in 2022
    • guided DWU to a .500 record in 2024, the first time in 10 years
    • previously served as an assistant coach for Trevaca Nazarene (Tenn.)
    • played for Trevaca Nazarene (NCAA D-II)
  • last year (2025): 6-4 (5th), 8-11 overall
    • lost to Morningside 3-2 in GPAC quarterfinals
  • picked 6th in GPAC preseason poll
  • return five starters, 11 players
  • 2026 stats:
    • scored 33 goals: 2.1 goals / match
    • allowed 22 goals: 1.4 / match
  • Key Players:
    • Evan Bolster (1st team all-conference) - 13 goals (2nd in GPAC), 3 assists, 34 shots on-goal (1st)
    • Luis Waeschle (2x all-conference) - 5 goals, 2 assists, 20 shots on-goal (8th)
    • Maximilian Nolle - 3 goals, 5 assists, 26 shots on-goal (6th)
    • Korbinian Rieder - 1 goal, 4 assists
    • Carter Hanson - 54 saves, 1.5 goals against