Game Time: 

• the Dordt University women's soccer team returns to the field with a road match Tuesday night against Dakota State
• kickoff on Dan Beacom Field is scheduled for 5pm
• Tuesday's match will be the first for the Defenders since their 3-1 win against Viterbo (Wis.) on Sept.5
• Dordt is 1-2-1 this season; Dakota State is 0-6

How to Follow:

• live stats for all matches can be found at this link: Live Stats
• watch the match live on the Dordt Media Network: Watch! 

All-Time vs Dakota State:

• Tuesday's match will be the second all-time in the rivalry
• Dordt defeated Dakota State 7-0 last year in a match played in Sioux Center
  • the Defenders led 2-0 at the half after goals scored by Abi Keltner and Karinna Tel in the opening 45 minutes
  • Dordt netted five more goals in the second half, one by five different players
    • Tel, Maria Zylstra, Grace Engbrecht, Jenna Roberts and Kelli Waypa all scored in final half
  • Lydia Zylstra and Abi-Green Martinez shared the shutout

Defenders News and Notes:

• Head Coach: Payton Chitwood (2nd year)
  • hired in March of 2025 
  • served as the head coach for Warner University (Fla.) from 2017-24
  • was an assistant coach for Trinity International (Ill.) from 2011-16
• Chitwood is joined on his staff by Mary Doell, Brandon Hansen and Sydney Schwartz, who all begin their first season as a coach within the Defenders program
• picked fourth of 12 teams in the GPAC preseason poll
• Dordt finished the 2025 season with an 11-6-3 overall record
  • the Defenders lost to Hastings (Neb.) 1-0 in the GPAC Championship match, one win shy of qualifying for the NAIA National Championship
  • the Defenders went 7-2-2 and finished tied with Hastings (Neb.) for third place in the GPAC
  • 14 players who started at least one match return, 20 total returners
  • return 22 of 49 goals scored
• this is the 31st season of Defender women's soccer (began in 1996)
• returning all-conference players: 
  • Maria Zylstra - 2nd team
  • Lameese Batarseh - Honorable Mention
  • Jenna Roberts - Honorable Mention
  • Joslyn Vander Molen - Honorable Mention
  • Paige Miller - Honorable Mention (2024 season)
• 2026 Record: 1-2-1
  • last time out: def. Viterbo 3-1 on Sept. 5
    • Joslyn Vander Molen scored a pair of first half goals, the second on a penalty kick, as Dordt led 2-1 at the break
    • Jenna Roberts netted the final Defenders goal during the 81st minute from an assist by both Vander Molen and Maria Zylstra
    • Lizzie Graham made four saves and picked up her first career win
• 2026, by the Numbers:
  • goals scored: 6 (1.5 / match)
  • goals given up: 9 (2.25 / match)
• Leaders:
  • Joslyn Vander Molen - 3 goals, 2 assists, 9 shots on-goal
  • Maria Zylstra - 1 goal, 2 assists, 4 shots on-goal
  • Faith Mondeel - 1 goal, 4 shots on-goal
  • Lizzie Graham - 12 saves

Scouting Reports:

• Dakota State Trojans:
  • 2026 Record: 0-6
    • last time out: lost to Concordia 2-0 on Sept.12
    • has lost to four GPAC teams; Concordia, Northwestern, Mount Marty and Hastings
  • part of the California-Pacific Conference (5 teams) in soccer
    • picked fourth in the CAL-PAC preseason poll
    • Westcliff is the preseason favorite and is ranked 23rd in NAIA preseason poll
    • Pacific-Union, Simpson, Westcliff and Stanton are the other conference teams
  • Head Coach: Todd Stank - 2nd year
    • became the first head coach in DSU history last year
    • was the head coach for St.Clair CC (Mich) for five years prior to DSU
    • also served as the head coach for Rochester, an NAIA school in Michigan
  • 2025 record: 1-14-3 overall in 1st year with women's soccer
    • lost to Bellevue (Neb.) in conference semifinals
  • return 13 players, 10 starters
  • return 12 of 14 goals scored
  • 2026 stats:
    • scored 3 goals, .5 / match
    • allowed 16 goals, 2.7 / match
  • Leaders (stats from 2026 season in bold): 
    • Aislyn Holden - 1 goal
    • Sydney Quail - 1 goal
    • Charli Zimmerman - 1 goal
    • Katie Brown - returning all-conference; 2 goals, 1 assist last year
    • Onika Kline - returning all-conference; 1 goal, 1 assists last year