Dordt College avoids upset, rallies for 3-2 win over Concordia

For the second straight day, Concordia University went to five sets in GPAC volleyball.  The Bulldogs rallied for a 3-2 win over Dakota Wesleyan on Friday evening.  Things were different on Saturday, as Dordt College rallied for a 3-2 win.  The Bulldogs took the first two sets but were unable to close out the match.  Scores were 21-25, 18-25, 25-16, 25-18 and 15-13.

The Bulldogs (11-18, 4-10 GPAC) jumped out to a big lead in the first set.  Concordia opened the set on a 10-2 run and held a comfortable lead for a good portion of the set.  The Defenders (15-14, 9-4 GPAC) rallied to within three at 23-20 on a kill by April Solsma, but kills by Amanda Kisker (Lincoln, Neb.) and Mariah Schamp (Arvada, Colo.) secured the 25-21 win for Concordia. 

The second set remained close in the early stages.  However, the Bulldogs used a 3-0 run to grab a 16-11 lead.  Dordt pulled within four on two occasions, but Concordia pulled away for the 25-18 win and 2-0 match advantage. 

Set three again was close in the early stages.  Concordia kept it close and trailed by just two at 17-15.  The Defenders rattled off five straight points, however, to take a 22-15 lead and force a Bulldog timeout.  Concordia got a kill by Ashlea Vaudt (Kalispell, Mont.) following the timeout, but Dordt scored the next three points for the 25-16 win. 

Dordt College used another late run to take set four.  The combination of Katelyn Schuller and Danae Geels proved to be too much down the stretch.  Concordia pulled within two at 18-16.  Schuller pounded three kills, while Geels added a kill and solo block, and the Defenders tied the match at two sets apiece. 

The fifth and final set started promising for Concordia.  The Bulldogs held leads of 2-0 and 3-1 early on, but Dordt scored the next four points to grab a 5-3 advantage.  Dordt pulled away from there and held a 14-9 advantage at one point.  The Bulldogs attempted to rally, scoring the next four points to pull within one at 14-13.  A kill by Geels gave Dordt the 15-13 win and 3-2 match victory. 

Geels had 13 kills to pace Dordt College in the win.  Schuller added 12 kills, and Lindsey Moerman delivered 10 kills in the match.  Loy Griess and Kiley Velgersdynk added nine and seven kills, respectively, for the Defenders.  Jessica De Stigter handed out 23 set assists, and Jocelyn Bousema had a match-best 16 digs for Dordt College. 

Kisker pounded 16 kills to lead the way for Concordia offensively.  The junior also added 11 digs for another double-double.  Schamp and Amanda Abbott (Temecula, Calif.) added 12 kills apiece.  Marlee Denton (Fremont, Neb.) added eight kills, and Vaudt chipped in with seven kills on the day.  Alexa Hopping (Sutherland, Neb.) had 28 set assists, while Carli Smith (Temecula, Calif.) had a team-best 13 digs for the Bulldogs defensively. 

Concordia concludes regular season play with games at Hastings College (Nov. 3) and Northwestern College (Nov. 5).