Chicago, Ill — Illinois Tech Men's Volleyball  fell to Dordt University with a 3-1 loss at the Keating Sports Center on Saturday. Despite a strong third set, the Scarlet Hawks were unable to maintain momentum into the fourth set, finishing with 38 kills and 6 service aces.  Illinois Tech holds a 0-2 overall record. Dordt has a 4-1 overall record.

How It Happened

Illinois Tech and Dordt began their match with a tightly contested exchange, as both teams capitalized on each other's service errors, resulting in an early 2-2 tie. The set remained close until Dordt's Cade Schmidt contributed significantly with multiple kills, including one at 10-7, helping his team gain momentum. The Defenders' lead was further bolstered by service aces and blocks, extending their advantage to 18-14. Despite efforts from Illinois Tech's Tyson Haufschild, who recorded several kills throughout the set, Dordt maintained control. The set concluded with a series of errors from Illinois Tech, and Dordt secured the set 25-16.

In the second set, Dordt established dominance early with a 5-1 run that included a service ace from Joel Van Groningen. Illinois Tech struggled with errors, contributing to Dordt's 18-10 lead following a series of attack and ball handling errors. Bryan Evans was a standout for Illinois Tech, recording a kill at 13-8, but the Defenders' consistent offense, led by Van Groningen and Schmidt, held firm. Despite a late push from Illinois Tech, which included a kill by Paul Henderson, Dordt secured the set 25-19 with a final kill from Schmidt.

Illinois Tech secured a decisive 25-16 victory in the third set against Dordt, building momentum with a sequence of critical plays. Henderson contributed significantly with back-to-back kills early on, propelling the Scarlet Hawks to a 5-2 advantage. A series of errors by Dordt, including consecutive attack errors by Lance Vermeer, extended the lead to 8-2. Colten Farrell's service prowess was on display with two aces during a key stretch that widened the gap to 9-2. The Defenders attempted to rally, but their efforts were thwarted as Illinois Tech maintained control. Evans clinched the set win with a final kill from a Matthew Michler assist.

Dordt dominated the fourth set, securing a decisive 25-12 victory over Illinois Tech. The set began with Farrell's kill, but the Defenders quickly turned the tide with a series of kills by Van Groningen and Schmidt, taking a 6-4 lead. Despite efforts from Illinois Tech's Aaron Hanny and Evans, Dordt maintained their momentum with effective blocking and a service ace by Vermeer. The set concluded with a series of errors from the Scarlet Hawks, including two attack errors by Henderson, allowing Dordt to close out the set. The Defenders' performance in this set highlighted their strong offensive and defensive play.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

Bryan Evans  
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- 9 kills  
- 3 digs  
- 1 block assist  
- 9.5 points  

Colten Farrell  
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- 4 service aces  
- 5 digs  
- 2 total blocks  

Matthew Michler  
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- 14 assists  
- 2 digs  

Tyson Haufschild  
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- 9 kills  
- 5 digs  
- 2 block assists  
- 11 points  

Defenders Top Performers

Joel Van Groningen
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- 13 kills
- 17.0 points
- 3 service aces

Joseph Jang
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- 20 assists
- 6 digs
- 2 service aces

Cade Schmidt
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- 11 kills
- 13.0 points
- 3 total blocks

Game Notes:
- This was the first ever meeting between the two schools.

Up Next
Illinois Tech will compete in two matches tomorrow on Sunday, Jan. 25. The first match will see the Scarlet Hawks taking on Loras College and the evening match will be against UW-Stevens Point.  The matchups will take place in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.