The Dordt University volleyball team won the opening set but Northwestern responded by taking the final three sets and claimed a 3-1 victory over the Defenders Wednesday night at Bultman Center.
Box Score (PDF)
Dordt won the first set 25-21 before Northwestern answered with a 25-18 win in the second set. The Red Raiders then took control with a 25-13 victory in the third set and completed the match with a 25-16 fourth-set win.
Dordt falls to 11-6 overall and 2-3 in GPAC play. Northwestern improves to 15-1 overall and 5-0 in conference matches.
The Defenders hit .136 for the match and finished with 47 kills, 46 assists, six service aces, 47 digs and 11 blocks. Northwestern hit .325 with 50 kills, 39 assists, nine aces, 50 digs and 14 blocks.
FIRST SET
Dordt jumped to a 3-0 lead to open the match, getting an early block from Ada Dekkers and Haley Kuperus along with a Kuperus kill.
Northwestern answered with five straight points to take a 5-3 lead, but Dordt regained the advantage and eventually moved in front 7-3.
The Red Raiders rallied again, scoring six straight points to turn a 7-3 deficit into a 9-7 lead. Dordt answered with three consecutive points, including back-to-back kills by Ellie Weg, to take a 10-9 advantage.
The teams traded points through the middle of the set before Northwestern took a 16-14 lead. Dordt then scored three straight points, including a Kuperus kill and consecutive blocks involving Kuperus, to move ahead 17-16.
After Northwestern tied the score at 17-17, Dordt scored three straight to take a 20-17 advantage. Chloe Huisman added a service ace during the run.
Northwestern pulled within 20-19, but Dordt answered with four of the next five points to take a 24-21 lead. Ada Dekkers finished the set with a kill from Carlee Jackson as Dordt won 25-21.
Dordt hit .250 in the opening set, recording 14 kills with five errors on 36 attacks.
SECOND SET
Northwestern scored the first point of the second set, but Dordt quickly tied the score at 1-1 on a Kuperus kill.
The Red Raiders moved ahead 3-1 before Dordt answered with three straight points, including a service ace by Kylie Beckering, to take a 4-3 lead.
Northwestern responded with a 5-1 run to build an 8-5 advantage and extended the margin to 11-6.
Dordt cut the deficit to 13-10 after a Scarlett Winterfeld service ace and a Kuperus kill, but Northwestern continued to maintain its advantage.
The Red Raiders led 18-12 before Dordt scored consecutive points on a Van Dyken kill and a Winterfeld kill to make it 18-14.
Northwestern pushed the lead back to 23-15. Dordt scored three of the next four points, including a block by Dekkers and Van Dyken, to cut the margin to 24-18, but Northwestern finished the set on the next point for a 25-18 win.
Northwestern hit .364 in the second set, while Dordt hit .057.
THIRD SET
Northwestern took control early in the third set, scoring the first two points before Dordt got on the board with a Winterfeld kill.
The Red Raiders then scored six straight points to build an 8-1 lead. Dordt responded with three consecutive points, including a Beckering service ace and a Van Dyken kill, to make it 8-4.
Northwestern answered with another five-point run, extending its lead to 13-4.
Dordt continued to battle and scored four of the next seven points, with Van Dyken and Winterfeld providing kills, but Northwestern maintained a double-digit advantage.
The Red Raiders led 21-10 before Dordt scored three straight points to cut the margin to 21-13. Northwestern then closed the set with four consecutive points to win 25-13.
Northwestern hit .478 in the third set, recording 12 kills with just one error on 23 attacks. Dordt hit .091.
FOURTH SET
Dordt scored the first point of the fourth set on a Carlee Jackson service ace, but Northwestern quickly tied the score at 1-1.
Dordt regained a 2-1 lead on a Van Dyken kill before Northwestern moved ahead 6-3.
The Defenders responded with three straight points, including a Kuperus kill and a Huisman service ace, to cut the deficit to 7-5.
Northwestern regained control with a 6-2 run and built a 13-7 lead. Dordt answered with consecutive points to make it 13-9, but the Red Raiders continued to extend their advantage.
Northwestern led 19-10 before Dordt began another push. Kuperus, Dekkers and Winterfeld contributed kills as the Defenders scored three straight points to make it 20-13.
Dordt continued to battle late, scoring three consecutive points to cut the deficit to 21-16, with two kills by Ellie Weg during the stretch.
Northwestern called timeout and then closed the match with four straight points, winning the fourth set 25-16.
Northwestern hit .407 in the final set, while Dordt hit .139.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Kills: Dordt 47, Northwestern 50
- Kill Efficiency: Dordt .136, Northwestern .325
- Digs: Dordt 47, Northwestern 50
- Blocks: Dordt 11, Northwestern 14
- Aces: Dordt 6, Northwestern 9
- Assists: Dordt 46, Northwestern 39
DORDT LEADERS
Kuperus led Dordt with 14 kills and hit .286 for the match. She added one solo block and four block assists for 17 points.
Van Dyken finished with nine kills and one block assist, while Laney Wolfswinkel and Scarlett Winterfeld each had seven kills.
Weg and Dekkers contributed five kills apiece. Weg hit .176 and added two block assists, while Dekkers hit .231 and had three block assists.
Huisman directed Dordt's offense with 18 assists and added two service aces and four digs.
Jackson had 24 assists, two service aces and eight digs.
Beckering led the defensive effort with 16 digs and added two service aces. Winterfeld had six digs, while Wielenga added three.
NOTABLES
The Defenders had their best offensive production in the first set, hitting .250 with 14 kills. Northwestern hit .364 in the second set, .478 in the third and .407 in the fourth.
Kuperus led all Dordt players with 14 kills, while Van Dyken had nine and Wolfswinkel and Winterfeld each finished with seven.
Northwestern's offense became increasingly efficient after the first set. The Red Raiders committed eight attack errors in the opener but had just two in the second set, one in the third and none in the fourth.
Dordt is now 2-3 in GPAC play.
UP NEXT
Dordt returns to action Saturday when the Defenders continue GPAC play at Midland in Fremont, Nebraska.
