The Dordt Defenders opened their conference schedule with a four-set loss in Sioux City, falling to Morningside (25-18, 21-25, 23-25, 23-25).
Box Score (PDF)
The Defenders came out strong in the opening frame, hitting a match-high .138 as a team to secure a 25-18 victory. During that first set, Dordt utilized a dominant 5-0 run to break open a close 13-9 lead, highlighted by a service ace from
Bradley Neff and a sequence of blocks by
Lance Vermeer and
Joel Van Groningen. Despite the early momentum, Morningside responded by taking the next three sets.
The Defenders nearly forced a fifth set in the fourth frame, mounting a late 4-1 run to pull within one at 23-24 following a kill by
Nicodemus Elliott and a Morningside attack error, but the Mustangs got a killd the final kill to end the match.
Defensively, the Defenders were active at the net, recording 24 block assists.
Lance Vermeer led the charge with 10 total blocks (9 assists, 1 solo), while
Cory Kuperus and
Kai Chapman provided support during defensive stands in the third set when
Dordt fought back from an early 4-0 deficit to tie the game at 15-15. In the back row,
Colt Schmidt anchored the defense with a match-high 18 digs.
Dordt is 8-3 and 0-1 in the Heart of American Athletic Conference and will host Grand View and William Penn this weekend.
THE NUMBERS
Team Comparison
- Kills: Morningside 53 | Dordt 52
- Hitting Percentage: Morningside .221 | Dordt .167
- Blocks (Total): Dordt 12.5 | Morningside 9.0
- Digs: Morningside 50 | Dordt 48
Dordt Offensive Leaders
- Joel Van Groningen: 16 Kills, 2 Aces, 7 Digs, 5 Blocks
- Cade Schmidt: 11 Kills, 5 Digs, 1 Block
- Kai Chapman: 9 Kills, 4 Blocks, 1 Dig
- Lance Vermeer: 5 Kills, 10 Blocks
- Joseph Jang: 25 Assists, 6 Digs
- McCullough Unruh: 17 Assists, 7 Digs
Dordt Defensive Leaders
