Dordt too much
24th-ranked Defenders keep rolling behind heightThe Dordt College (Iowa) volleyball team was intent on running its winning streak to 10 matches.
By: By CHRIS AARHUS, The Daily Republic
- Kacie Sanderson
The Dordt College (Iowa) volleyball team was intent on running its winning streak to 10 matches.
The Defenders, loaded with 6-footers at every position, defended their new No. 24 ranking in the NAIA poll by downing Dakota Wesleyan University 25-11, 25-17, 25-16 in Great Plains Athletic Conference action Tuesday at Fosness Arena.
“We’re playing fairly consistent right now,” Dordt coach Tom Van Den Bosch said. “It seems like we’ve got quite a few pieces there to make a run in the GPAC.”
Those pieces proved their worth early for the Defenders, who went on a 10-1 run to start the match, putting the Tigers in a hole they couldn’t climb out of.
DWU coach Eric Viney said the height factor played a huge part.
“When you’re going against 6-foot girls at all six hitters, it’s pretty tough,” Viney said.
The Tigers exploded out of the gate in the second game, scoring four of the first five points and leading 10-5 at one point. When the Defenders reorganized, DWU struggled to continuously drive the ball past Dordt’s blockers. Dordt used a block by Kendra Potgeter to take its first lead at 15-14 and never trailed from there. Dordt piled up 23 blocks while DWU had six.
“Blocking is probably the strength of our team,” Van Den Bosch said.
Viney said he re-emphasized the game plan after the first game, and it worked until the Tigers lost focus.
“We tweaked a few things. Blocking cross-court — that really helped,” Viney said. “Our concentration level slipped and helped them get on a run.”
Potgeter finished with a game-high nine kills and teammates Kiley Velgersdyk and Danae Gills added seven. Dorina Hibma had 25 digs for the Defenders, who move to 12-2 overall including a 2-0 mark in the conference. They play at the Mid America Nazarene tournament on Thursday.
Andrea Johnson led the Tigers with eight kills, followed by Ashley Kley’s five. Carina Fesenmaier had 19 assists and Brooke Warne finished with a team-high 13 digs.
DWU (3-11, 0-2) hosts Presentation College at 7 p.m. today.
Tags: college volleyball, sports, tigers
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