Game Time... The Northwestern College volleyball team goes for its fifth straight win when they play host to Dordt in a a conference volleyball match held Monday night, Oct. 5. First serve at the Bultman Center is slated for 7:30pm. Northwestern is a perfect 4-0 this season, 2-0 in the GPAC; Dordt is currently 4-3 and in sixth place in the GPAC, 5-3 overall. 

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All-Time...Northwestern holds a slight advantage in the all-time series, going 46-42 against the Defenders. The Raiders swept both matches last year, winning 3-1 in Sioux Center and 3-2 in a five-set marathon played at the Bultman Center. Northwestern is 2-3 in the last five and 4-6 in the last 10 matches against Dordt. 

Scouting Reports...

    Dordt University Defenders: 4-3 (6th in GPAC), 5-3 overall            Head Coach: Chad Hanson (10th year)

Following a 5-0 start to the season, the Defenders have lost three straight matches, all within conference play, to fall to 4-3 in the GPAC, 5-3 overall. They lost back-to-back matches to Jamestown, both by a 3-1 score, and then fell to Concordia last weekend in three straight. Dordt holds wins over DWU (2), Briar Cliff, Morningside and University of Northwestern - St. Paul. 

Hanson is in the midst of his 10th season as the Defenders head coach after serving as an assistant for three seasons at the University of Georgia. During his time at Dordt, Hanson has guided the Defenders to five NAIA national tournaments, finishing as the national runner-up in 2016 and 2017. Hanson was named the national coach of the year in 2017 and is a two-time GPAC Coach of the Year. 

    By the Numbers (GPAC / NAIA rank):
    Hitting Percentage - .225 (3rd)
    Kills / Set - 12.7 (5th)
    Aces / Set - 1.3 (8th)
    Digs / Set - 14.5 (12th)
    Blocks / Set - 2.8 (2nd / 6th)

    Key Players / Returning Starters (GPAC / NAIA rank):
    Jessi De Jager (2x all-conf) - 2.5 kills/set, .337% (6th), 20 blocks
    Brenna Krommendyk - 2.4 kills/set, .356% (3rd), 37 blocks (5th)
    Karsyn Winterfeld (all-conf) - 2.8 kills/set, .145%, 8 aces, 2.6 digs/set
    Corrina Timmermans - 1.9 kills/set, .151%, 13 aces (2nd)
    Megan Raszler (all-conf) - 6.5 assists/set (10th), 7 aces, 1.1 digs/set
    Hannah Connelly (all-conf) - 4.9 digs/set (5th)

Northwestern Notes: 2-0 (GPAC), 4-0 overall                Head Coach: Kyle Van Den Bosch (16th year)

After a near three-week layoff from competition, Northwestern won two matches last week, both on the road and in conference play. They earned a four-set win against Dakota Wesleyan on Sept. 30 and then swept Morningside last Friday night in Sioux City. Northwestern also has wins against Bellevue and the University of Northwestern - St. Paul...they are 2-0 in the GPAC, 4-0 overall.

Van Den Bosch owns a 78% win percentage in his 16 years as the Raiders head coach. He has guided Northwestern to 10 NAIA tournaments, four national quarterfinals, including last season. 

    By the Numbers (GPAC / NAIA rank):
    Hitting Percentage - .311 (1st / 2nd)
    Kills / Set - 15.7 (1st / 1st)
    Aces / Set - 1.3 (7th)
    Digs / Set - 18.6 (4th)
    Blocks / Set - 2.2 (6th)

    Individual Leaders (GPAC / NAIA rank):
    Anna Wedel - 4.5 kills/set (1st / 7th), .338 (5th), 3.1 digs/set
    Makenzie Fink - 3.0 kills/set, .377%, 4 blocks
    Emily Van Ginkel - 2.6 kills/set, .365% (2nd / 9th), 1.2 blocks/set (7th)
    A.J. Kacmarynski - 2.4 kills/set, .194%
    Macay Van't Hul - 2.6 kills/set, .324%, 1.3 blocks/set (7th)
    Lacey Reitz - 12.9 assists/set (1st / 1st), 3 aces, 3.2 digs/set
    Emily Strasser - 4.4 digs/set (7th)
    Olivia Granstra - 3.6 digs/set