Game Time...Northwestern College matches up against Dordt for a GPAC showdown between top 10 teams Wednesday night. First serve at the DeWitt Gymnasium in Sioux Center is scheduled for 7:30pm. Ranked third in the latest NAIA Coaches' poll, Northwestern is currently in first place in the GPAC with an 8-0 record, 21-1 overall. Dordt is ranked seventh in the NAIA with a 19-4 record, 7-1 in conference play. 

Follow the match-up live, via the Dordt webcast at this link: Watch Now! 

Listen to the match live, via the KSOU broadcast, at this link:  Listen Now!

Live Stats!

All-Time...Northwestern holds a slight lead in the alltime series, 44-39, dating back to the 1989 season. The Red Raiders are 21-11 against the Defenders during head coach Kyle Van Den Bosch's tenure (since 2005) and are 7-3 over the last 10 match-ups, including a four-set win (25-19, 19-25, 25-13, 25-20) over Dordt earlier this season.

Last Time vs Dordt...Anna Kiel was one of three Red Raiders who recorded double figure kills in leading Northwestern to a 3-1 win (25-19, 19-25, 25-13, 25-20) over then-No.5 Dordt on Sept. 12 at the Bultman Center. Kiel hit .462 and put down a team-high 16 kills while teammates Makenzie Fink (15) and A.J. Horstman (12) were also in double figures and hit nearly .300 against the Defenders. Lacey Wacker lofted up 46 assists and directed a Northwestern offense that hit .331, compared to .205 for the Defenders. Wacker added three of the Red Raiders eight ace serves and Karsyn Winterfeld led the backrow with 15 digs. 

Ema Altena led all players with 18 kills and hit .351 for the Defenders. 

Scouting Reports...

    No.7 Dordt College: 7-1 (3rd), 19-4   Head Coach-Chad Hanson (7th year)

The Defenders are one of four teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) ranked in the top 10, joining Northwestern, Hastings and Midland. Dordt is 8-2 over its last 10 match-ups, losing to the Red Raiders on Sept. 12 and to top-ranked Viterbo (Wis.) last week. The Defenders are currently in third place in the GPAC with a 7-1 record, one game in back of NW and 1/2 game behind Hastings. Most recently, they have wins over DWU, Midland, Briar Cliff and Concordia. 

Chad Hanson, now in his seventh season as head coach, is 134-64 during his time and has guided the Defenders to three NAIA Tournaments, including the last two years. Last year, Hanson guided Dordt to a 28-8 overall record and a trip to the NAIA National Championship match where they lost to GPAC rival Hastings in five sets. Five rotation players return from the 2016 team, including two All-Americans. 

By the Numbers:
Kills/Set: 14.4 (2nd in GPAC / 4th in NAIA)
Hitting Percentage: .249 (3rd in GPAC)
Aces: 122 (4th in GPAC)
Blocks/Set: 2.1 (3rd in GPAC)

Individual Leaders:  (GPAC/NAIA rank-if top 10)
Ema Altena: 2016 All-American - 4.4 kills/set (1st/7th), .284 (8th), 34 aces (2nd)
Leah Kamp: 2.9 kills/set, .320 kill efficiency (5th), 68 blocks (7th)
Julia Lindbergh: 2.2 kills/set; .180 kill efficiency
Ally Krommendyk: 1.8 kills/set, 73 blocks (5th)
Jamie Gesink: 2x All-American - 1.2 kills/set, 10.4 assists/set (2nd), 22 aces
Summer Jansen: 2x All-Conference; 19 aces, 4.8 digs/set (3rd)

    No.3 Northwestern College: 8-0 (1st), 21-1   Head Coach-Kyle Van Den Bosch (13th year)

The Red Raiders have won 18 straight matches since a five-set loss on Aug.26 to then-No.9 Corban (Ore.). They own an 8-0 GPAC record halfway through the conference schedule, defeating Hastings, Morningside and Dakota Wesleyan in their most recent action. 

By the Numbers: (GPAC/NAIA Rank-if top 10)
Kills/Set:                14.4 (1st/3rd)
Hitting Percentage: .327 (1st/3rd)
Aces:                      184 (1st/5th)
Digs:                       13.0 (11th)
Blocks/Set:             1.8 (8th)

Individual Leaders: (GPAC Rank/NAIA-if top 10)
Anna Kiel: 3.7 kills/set (3rd), .411 % (1st/3rd), 61 blocks, 1.9 digs/set
A.J. Horstman (All-conference): 3.1 kills/set, .325 (4th), 29 aces (4th), 1.8 digs, 46 blocks
Lauryn Hilger (All-American): 2.6 kills/set, .299 (7th), 22 aces, 2.9 digs/set
Makenzie Fink: 2.5 kills/set, 28 aces (5th), 1.9 digs/set
Josie Blankespoor: 1.5 kill/set, .392 %, 56 blocks
Lacy Wacker: 11.9 assists/set (1st/1st), 23 aces, 21 blocks
Karsyn Winterfeld: 64 aces (1st/1st), 2.8 digs/set

Notes:

Northwestern has had the edge in kills in all but one match (vs U. of Mary-N.D.)

Northwestern has had the edge in hitting percentage in every match; best % vs Mayville State (.490), lowest vs Valley City State (.217)

The Red Raiders have had more ace serves in all but three matches; most aces-16 vs VCSU; fewest-3 vs BVU

Kiel leads Northwestern with 18 matches w/ 10+ kills; Horstman w/ 13, Fink-8, Hilger w/ 6