Game Time... Northwestern College will face Dordt in a match-up featuring ranked teams in a Sioux County Showdown on Tuesday night. First serve in Sioux Center is scheduled for 7:30pm. Northwestern, ranked 16th in the latest NAIA Coaches' poll, is 1-0 in conference play, 10-3 overall. Dordt is ranked 12th and brings a 7-4 overall record into Tuesday night's match-up. 

Follow the game live via the live stats at this link: Live Stats!  Listen to the match live, via KSOU radio and Sioux County Radio.com at this link: Listen Now! 

About the Sioux County Showdown...This is the first year of the Sioux County Showdown, sponsored by I29 Sports, a point-based athletic and academic competition between the two long-time rivals, Northwestern and Dordt. As a sponsor of this series, I29 Sports has committed to several unique events over the course of the 2018/19 athletic season, including having special donation locations for each contest between the two rivals.

The goal of the Series is to generate as much excitement from fans at each contest, as well as alumni across Iowa and the nation, while also raising funds for a great cause, culminating in awarding the Sioux County Showdown Champions Trophy in May. We all have a goal to help raise more than $5000 in year one of the event for Hunger Free Kids of Sioux County.
 
To kick off the Sioux County Showdown, I29 Sports will be making an initial $500 donation in the name of the winner of the first event, Tuesday night's volleyball match. Every dollar donated will directly support Hunger Free Kids of Sioux County, an organization that seeks to provide local support to ensure all children in Sioux County receive adequate nutrition to thrive.

The Rivalry...Northwestern holds a 44-41 advantage in the all-time series, dating back to the 1989 season. Under Head Coach Kyle Van Den Bosch (since 2005), Northwestern is 21-13 against the Defenders. Last year, the teams split during the regular season and the Red Raiders lost to Dordt in the GPAC semifinals. The teams have split the last 10 match-ups. 

Scouting Reports...

    #12 Dordt College:  7-4        Head Coach: Chad Hanson (8th year)

The Defenders went 1-1 last weekend, losing to #2 Grand View in five sets and coming back with a 3-0 sweep over St. Ambrose the next day. Dordt owns a 7-4 overall record this season, 2-2 against teams ranked in the top 25. Tuesday's match will be their conference debut.

Hanson has been the Defenders' head coach since the 2011 season and is 168-72 heading into his eighth season in 2018. He was the GPAC Coach of the Year in 2015 and was named the NAIA Coach of the Year in 2017, the first of two consecutive seasons he guided Dordt to a national runner-up finish. Hanson returns all but two starters from a 2017 team that went 14-2 in GPAC play (T1st), 34-8 overall, losing to Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) in the national championship match.

By the Numbers (Conference Rank / NAIA rank-if top 10)
        Kills/Game: 11.5 (10th)
        Hitting %: .247 (4th)
        Aces: 47 (11th)
        Digs/Set: 12.8 (12th)
        Blocks/Set: 2.0 (7th)

     Top Players (Conf / NAIA rank-if top 10)
        Ema Altena - 2x All-American, 3x All-Conference; 3.8 kill/set, .292% (8th), 2 digs/set, 21 blocks
        Julia Lindbergh - All-Conference; 1.7 kills/set, .189%, 10 blocks
        Leah Kamp - All-Conference; 2.7 kills/set, .285% (9th), 18 blocks
        Ally Krommendyk - All-Conference - 2.2 kills/set, .280%, 36 blocks (4th)
        Jamie De Jager - 2x All-American, 3x All-Conference; 10.1 assists/set, 10 aces, 1.8 digs/set
        Aubrey Drake - 4.6 digs/set (5th), 8 aces

    #16 Northwestern College: 1-0 (GPAC), 10-3        Head Coach: Kyle Van Den Bosch (14th year)

Northwestern won all four of its matches last week without dropping a set in wins over Briar Cliff in the GPAC opener followed by wins against Avila (Mo.), Missour Valley and Stephens on the weekend. They are 10-3 this season.

Van Den Bosch, in his 14th season as head coach, is closing in on 400 career wins, owning a 381-112 record during his tenure. He has guided NW teams to six regular season titles, three postseason championships and eight appearances to the NAIA National Tournament. Van Den Bosch returns six starters from a 2017 team that finished as the co-regular season champions at 14-2, 30-6 overall, losing to Westmont (Calif.) in the round of 16 at the national tournament. 

By the Numbers (Conference Rank / NAIA rank-if top 10)
        Kills/Game: 14.3 (1st / 3rd)
        Hitting %: .273 (1st / 6th)
        Aces: 93 (1st)
        Digs/Set: 14.5 (9th)
        Blocks/Set: 2.0 (8th)

     Top Players (Conf / NAIA rank-if top 10)
        Lauryn Hilger - All-American, 3x all-conference; 4.3 kills/set (2nd / 10th), .312 (6th), 2.8 digs/set, 24 aces (2nd)
        Makenzie Fink - All-Conference; 2.5 kills/set, .238% 16 aces (9th), 1.3 digs/set, 14 blocks
        Emily Van Ginkel - 1.9 kills/set, .265%, 33 blocks (10th)
        Bekah Horstman - 1.6 kills/set, .403%, 36 blocks (9th)
        Lacey Wacker - 11.7 assists/set (1st / 2nd), 12 aces, 2.2 digs/set
        Emily Strasser - 11 aces, 3.9 digs/set (8th)

Up Next...Northwestern will play another ranked team on the road this Saturday as they make the long trip north to face Jamestown for the first conference match-up between the two teams.