Dordt used a balanced offensive attack and a key third-set surge to defeat Ottawa in four sets on Friday night in De Witt Gymnasium, winning 25-18, 22-25, 25-20, 25-20.
Box Score (PDF)
Dordt set the tone early in the opening set. After Ottawa briefly tied the score at 2-2, the Defenders scored six of the next seven points to take an 8-3 lead and later pushed the margin to 11-4 after a Cory Kuperus kill and a Cade Schmidt finish. Ottawa trimmed the deficit to 20-17 late in the set, but Dordt closed on a 5-1 run highlighted by kills from Joel Van Groningen and Kai Chapman to secure the 25-18 win.
Ottawa responded in the second set with a strong start. The Braves used a 5-0 run to turn a 2-2 tie into a 7-2 lead and later stretched the advantage to 14-8. Dordt chipped away and used a 6-2 run to pull within 20-18 after a Schmidt kill and an Ottawa attack error. Ottawa, however, steadied late and closed the set with three of the final five points to claim the 25-22 win and even the match at one set apiece.
The third set featured several swings of momentum. Ottawa built a 14-10 lead midway through the set and appeared poised to take control of the match. Dordt answered with a steady climb, eventually tying the score at 17-17. From that point the Defenders took over, scoring eight of the final eleven points. Consecutive Schmidt kills sparked the run and a block by Kuperus and Chapman helped Dordt build separation before Kuperus finished the set with a kill for the 25-20 win.
The fourth set was tightly contested early with the teams tied at 14-14. Dordt then delivered the decisive stretch of the night, using a 5-0 run to move ahead 19-14. Kills by Nicodemus Elliott, Lance Vermeer and Van Groningen highlighted the surge. Ottawa cut the deficit to 21-18, but the Defenders closed the match with four of the final six points, including a Chapman kill to seal the 25-20 victory.
Dordt finished the match hitting .415 as a team and had five players with at least eight kills in the win.
Team Statistics
• Kills: Dordt 69, Ottawa 55
• Attack Percentage: Dordt .415, Ottawa .243
• Assists: Dordt 65, Ottawa 53
• Digs: Dordt 50, Ottawa 44
• Blocks: Dordt 22, Ottawa 15
Dordt Individual Leaders
• Kills: Cade Schmidt 19, Joel Van Groningen 14, Kai Chapman 11, Cory Kuperus 9, Lance Vermeer 8
• Assists: Joseph Jang 31, Justin Hofman 24
• Digs: Colt Schmidt 15, Joel Van Groningen 10, Justin Hofman 9
• Blocks: Cory Kuperus 6, Lance Vermeer 6, Kai Chapman 2
Dordt improves to 16-5 overall and 6-3 in conference play with the victory.
