Game Time: 

• the 2026 season is here as the Dordt University men's soccer team opens the season with a pair of road matches this week in Montana
• the Defenders will play (RV) Carroll, a team receiving votes in the NAIA preseason poll, on Thursday night (8pm CST) at Nelson Stadium in Helena, Mont.
• following an off-day on Friday, Dordt will faceoff against Providence on Saturday afternoon (2pm (CST) at Argos Field in Great Falls, Mont.

How to Follow:

• live stats for all matches can be found at this link: Live Stats
• watch the match-up vs Carroll: Watch | 
• watch Saturday's match vs Providence: Watch | 

All-Time vs Opponent:

• this will be the first ever match between Dordt and Carroll
• Dordt is 1-0 all-time against Providence as they earned a 3-0 victory against the Argos last year in Sioux Center
  • a pair of first half goals by Pablo Martin and Anton Forsch put the Defenders up 2-0 after the opening period
  • Tate Hansen came through with the final goal during the 58th minute in the second frame
  • the Defenders held the edge (18-3) in total shots
  • JD Petitt and Shad Jaeger combined for two saves and the shutout

Defenders News and Notes:

• Head Coach (Interim): Tim Lee (1st year)
  • hired as an assistant during the winter of 2026
  • named interim head coach on July 1
• Lee is joined on staff by Michael Catanzarite (1st year), David Lee (4th year), Stevie Hodes (1st year) and Brandon Hansen (1st year)
• will be making its 2026 season debut
• 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
• 2025, by the numbers:
  • scored 24 goals (1.5 per match)
  • allowed 24 goals (1.5 per match)
• return eight of the 24 goals scored
• this is the 49th season of Defender men's soccer (began in 1978)
• Dordt is 3-4-3 in its last 10 season openers
  • the Defenders have not won a season opener since 2019 (5-0 vs Viterbo)
  • Dordt lost to Trinity Christian (2-0) last year
• returning leaders (based on 2025 stats):
  • Pablo Martin - 2 goals
  • Stephen Schreurs  - 2 goals
  • Tate Hansen - 1 goal, 2 assists
  • Enzo Lira de Paula - 1 goal, 2 assists
  • JD Petitt - 1.19 goals against average, eight saves, 1-2-1 record

Scouting Reports:

• (RV) Carroll Saints:
  • 0-0 record; making their season debut
    • have competed in three home scrimmages
  • part of the Cascade Collegiate Conference (13 teams)
  • picked to finish second in the CCC preseason poll
    • trailing only CCC regular season champion Eastern Oregon
  • 1 of 4 teams from the CCC recognized in the NAIA Preseason poll
    • Warner Pacific (#8), Eastern Oregon (RV), Rocky Mountain (RV)
  • Head Coach: Austin Shick - 4th year
    • hired prior to the 2023 season
    • 37-12-10 all-time at Carroll
    • second head coach in program history
    • named CCC Coach of the Year (2x - 2023, 2024)
    • previous coaching:
      • ass't for Southern Oregon one year
      • head coach for both Sierra Nevada and Blue Mountain CC
  • program began in 2014
    • 6 winning seasons in its 12 years
  • 2025 record: 14-4-3 overall, 10-1-1 in CCC (2nd place)
    • qualified for their 2nd consecutive NAIA National Championship
    • defeated Wiley in 1st round, lost to Cumberland (Tenn.) in 2nd round
  • return 14 players, including two that earned all-conference honors
  • return 32 of 41 goals scored from last year
  • 2025 stats:
    • scored 1.9 goals / match
    • allowed .75 goals / match, 13 shutouts
  • Returning Stats Leaders (from 2025 season): 
    • Felix Billard (2x all-conference, 2024 Player of the Year in CCC) - 10 goals, 5 assists
    • Sam Loughton (2x all-conference) - 6 goals, 2 assists
    • Nils Benning - 4 goals, 3 assists
    • Pedro Teixeira - 4 goals, 3 assists
    • Dane Quinn - played in two games in goal
• University of Providence Argos:
  • 0-0 record; making their season debut
    • have competed in two scrimmages
  • part of the Cascade Collegiate Conference (13 teams)
  • picked to finish 13th in the CCC preseason poll
  • 4 teams from the CCC recognized in the NAIA Preseason poll
    • Warner Pacific (#8), Eastern Oregon (RV), Rocky Mountain (RV)
  • Head Coach: Felix Vu - 1st year
    • previous coaching:
      • served as the coach at Elite Academy in Seattle, Washington
      • coaching stops at Indian Hill CC and Ferrum College
  • program began in 2007
  • 2025 record: 3-8-1 (10th of 13 teams), 3-11-2 overall
  • return 16 players, including all three goalkeepers
  • return five of 12 goals scored from last year
  • 2025 stats:
    • scored .8 goals / match
    • allowed 2.8 goals / match
  • Returning Stats Leaders (from 2025 season): 
    • Pedro Rodrigues - 1 goal, 3 assists
    • Geovanni Lugo - 2 goals
    • Andrew Schoenen - 1.9 goals against average, 38 saves in 11 matches