Sioux Center, Iowa — The Dordt Defender volleyball team lost a 3-1 decision at home to the Dakota Wesleyan Tigers in Great Plains Athletic Conference play on Wednesday night, September 22. The loss dropped Dordt to 2-2 in the league and 10-3 overall while Dakota Wesleyan improved to 4-0 and 14-1.
Dordt roared back from a six point deficit in set one at 16-10 to score four in a row to put some pressure on. A Corrina Timmermans kill made it 17-15 but Dordt was still down 21-18 when Jessi Franken and Campbell Marshall recorded back to back kills and a block by Franken and Corrina Timmermans tied the score at 21-21. A Mia Gamet service ace kept the run going and Dordt ended the set on a 7-0 run and had a 25-21 victory.
Wesleyan scored the first three points of set two and never trailed, fighting off the Dordt rally at 16-14 to score nine of the last 10 points and won 25-15. The momentum shift continued into set three with Dordt never putting together a serious threat, getting as close as 17-13 before falling 25-19.
Needing a win in set four to keep the match going, Dordt battled to a 15-15 tie after an Ava Van Soelen kill and it was tied again at 18-18. Dordt was unable to gain the lead and back to back kills by Ady Dwight for Wesleyan gave them a 20-18 lead and the Defenders were unable to get closer than 24-23 before falling 25-23.
Dakota Wesleyan hit for a .188 kill efficiency and while Dordt was at .146. Wesleyan had a 59-46 kills advantage.
Dordt recorded 13 points on blocks while Dakota Wesleyan had 10.
Dordt was led by Jessi Franken’s 16 kills and she had seven block assists.
Corrina Timmermans had 11 kills and 15 digs.
Erica Bousema accounted for 28 digs and Megan Raszler had 19 assists.
Dordt will host Northwestern on Saturday afternoon in a 3:00 varsity start.
