Omaha, Nebraska — The Dordt Defender volleyball team lost a GPAC Quarterfinal round contest to the College of Saint Mary Flames in a match played in Omaha, Nebraska on Saturday afternoon, November 6. The Defenders now await a potential at-large berth into the 48-team NAIA National Championship field announced November 15.
The Defenders had a 14-12 lead midway through the first set but surrendered six of the next seven points and trailed 18-15. A kill by Jessi Franken and a block by Ava Van Soelen and Danielle Vande Voort got Dordt within one but the hosts re-established a 23-20 lead after a service error. A Flame service error followed by an attack error gave Dordt hope at 23-22 but back to back points by the hosts finished set one 25-22.
A fast start by the Flames in set two took the suspense out of set two and the Defenders never seriously threatened them in falling 25-17.
The Defenders regrouped in set three and led 12-11 in the back and forth affair. Three straight points by the Flames put them up 14-12 but the Defenders had an answer with Franken and Corrina Timmermans getting back to back kills and Makenna Kooima dropped in an ace serve for a 15-14 lead. Again the Flames threatened to pull away and led 19-16 but Dordt tied it with three straight points on a service error, an Alli Timmermans kill and a Grace Langemeier kill. Dordt found themselves down again at 21-19 after back to back points but the visitors wouldn’t go down without a fight as Alli Timmermans had two kills, Franken one and an attack error put Dordt up 23-21.
The teams exchanged points for the final four of the set and Dordt won it on a Franken kill for the 25-23 win. Dordt appeared poised to tie the set with an early 5-1 lead but the hosts pulled back to even at 16 and again at 17. The Defenders appeared to weather the storm with four unanswered to lead 21-17 and they were up 22-19 before five straight by the Flames got them to set and match point. Dordt fought off the loss with a Franken kill but the Flames scored on the next point to advance to the semifinals of the GPAC Tournament.
Dordt had 45 kills and a .181 kill efficiency while the Flames had 59 with a .210 kill efficiency.
Dordt scored 13 points on blocks and the Flames scored nine.
Dordt had five service aces and the College of Saint Mary two.
Corrina Timmermans had 14 kills and 12 digs.
Alli Timmermans had 11 kills and three block assists.
Jessi Franken had eight kills and two solo and five block assists.
Megan Raszler put up 21 assists and Campbell Marshall had 15.
Erica Bousema recorded a team high 13 digs.
The Flames got 14 kills each from Lexie Langley and Rosa Reed-Bouley.
Dordt is 17-9 while the College of Saint Mary is 25-4.
