The Dordt Defenders split two matches on the second day of the Siouxland NAIA Invite on Saturday, August 22, falling to McPherson in three sets before responding with a four-set win over Dakota State.
Dordt finished the weekend with a 3-1 record.
THE SCORES
McPherson def. Dordt 25-18, 25-17, 25-17 | Box Score (PDF)
Dordt def. Dakota State 23-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-21 | Box Score (PDF)
HOW IT HAPPENED
McPherson
Dordt scored three of the first four points in the opening set, getting a Chloe Huisman ace and benefiting from two McPherson errors. McPherson answered with four straight points to take a 5-3 lead. Trailing 7-4, Dordt pulled even on a Haley Kuperus kill, a Carlee Jackson ace and a block by Ellie Weg and Scarlett Winterfeld. McPherson reclaimed the lead with two straight points and stayed in front the rest of the set. Kills by Laney Wolfswinkel and Breanna Beckering brought Dordt within 14-11, but McPherson extended its advantage to 20-13. Huisman and Winterfeld accounted for three consecutive kills to cut the margin to 20-16 before McPherson closed the 25-18 win.
The teams traded the first two points of set two before McPherson scored three straight for a 4-1 lead. Kills by Kuperus, Weg and Wolfswinkel kept Dordt within four at 9-5, but McPherson used a three-point run to extend the lead to 12-6. The Bulldogs later scored four straight to build a 17-7 advantage. Dordt responded with a Kuperus kill and a Kuperus-Jaida Barrow block. Trailing 19-9, Dordt scored three straight on another Kuperus kill, a Jackson ace and a Weg-Breanna Beckering block. Weg added two late kills, but McPherson secured the set, 25-17.
McPherson scored the first four points of the third set before Dordt answered with three straight. Wolfswinkel stopped the opening run with a kill, and Barrow and Kuperus followed with a block. Dordt later used a Winterfeld kill and a Huisman ace to pull within 7-6. The Defenders erased another two-point deficit and tied the set at 10-10 on a McPherson attack error. A Barrow-Kuperus block produced an 11-11 tie, but McPherson responded with six consecutive points. Trailing 21-12, Dordt scored three straight on a Weg kill and consecutive Huisman aces. McPherson scored four of the final six points to finish the match.
Dakota State
The opening set featured nine ties and one lead change. Dordt used kills by Kuperus, Winterfeld and Breanna Beckering to build a 7-4 lead, but Dakota State answered with three straight points. The teams traded points until Dakota State broke a 14-14 tie with three consecutive points and eventually led 20-16. An Ada Dekkers kill started a three-point Dordt run that cut the deficit to 20-19. Later trailing 23-20, Winterfeld had a kill and Weg and Winterfeld combined for a block as the Defenders scored three straight to tie the set. Dakota State responded with consecutive kills to win 25-23.
There were 11 ties and six lead changes in the second set. Dordt opened a 5-2 lead behind a Kylie Beckering ace and kills by Kuperus and Weg. Dakota State scored four straight to move in front 6-5, and neither team led by more than two points through a 21-21 tie. Kuperus put Dordt in front with a kill and Wolfswinkel followed with consecutive aces. Kuperus ended the set with another kill, completing a four-point run and giving Dordt the 25-21 win.
Dakota State scored first in set three, but Dordt moved in front 2-1 and never trailed again. With the score tied 3-3, kills by Dekkers and Weg helped the Defenders take a 6-3 advantage. Dordt extended the margin to 9-4 on kills by Winterfeld and Weg. Leading 11-9, Dordt scored three straight on a Dekkers kill, a Huisman ace and a Dekkers-Kuperus block. Weg later delivered a kill and Jackson served consecutive aces for a 19-13 lead. Kuperus put down the final two points of the 25-17 victory.
The fourth set had three ties and one lead change. Dakota State held early leads of 1-0 and 2-1 before Dordt moved in front on a Winterfeld kill. After a 3-3 tie, Weg had a kill, Jackson served an ace, Weg and Winterfeld combined for a block and Breanna Beckering added a kill during a four-point Dordt run. The Defenders led 14-8 before Dakota State scored four straight to pull within two. Dekkers stopped the run with a kill and Dordt answered with five consecutive points. Kuperus and Dekkers had kills, Haley Wielenga put down a kill and Wolfswinkel served an ace during the run for a 19-12 lead. Dakota State fought off two match points before Dekkers and Wolfswinkel combined for the match-ending block.
BY THE NUMBERS
McPherson
- McPherson held a 32-29 advantage in kills and outhit Dordt .196 to .009.
- The teams each totaled seven blocks. Dordt had a 6-5 advantage in service aces.
- Kuperus led Dordt with eight kills and four block assists.
- Weg finished with six kills, a .333 attack percentage and two block assists.
- Huisman recorded 12 assists, four aces and four digs.
- Jackson finished with 11 assists, two aces and four digs.
- Kylie Beckering led Dordt with 14 digs.
- Barrow had a team-high five block assists.
Dakota State
- Dordt held a 60-36 advantage in kills and outhit Dakota State .184 to .142.
- Kuperus had a career-high 21 kills and hit .429.
- Weg recorded 10 kills with a .471 attack percentage and four block assists.
- Wolfswinkel finished with nine kills, seven digs and three aces.
- Huisman distributed 37 assists and had seven digs and two aces.
- Jackson totaled 19 assists, three aces and five digs.
- Kylie Beckering led all players with 23 digs and added two aces.
- Dekkers finished with six kills and three block assists.
NEXT
The Defenders will play four matches on August 28 and 29 in Bellevue, Nebraska against Benedictine-Mesa, Grand View, Xavier and Bellevue.
