Pride open final road trip of 2026 with 3-0 loss at Dordt

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa - Heading from the eastern border of Iowa to the western border, the Clarke University men's volleyball team was unable to start their weekend road trip with a win, falling to Dordt University 3-0 on Friday night in Sioux Center, Iowa.

The Pride and Defenders played a rematch to their previous Feb. 27 match in Dubuque to a similar result as DU earned set wins by scores of 25-19, 25-21, and 25-14 as they were able to outhit Clarke in each set by hitting percentage and also finish with fewer errors in each set as well.

Finishing the match with a .283 team hitting percentage compared to CU's .137, Dordt was led offensively by a pair of attackers that finished with over 10 kills as Cade Schmidt finished with a match-high 12 kills on 22 swings while adding five digs as Joel Van Groningen produced 11 kills, seven digs, and three block assists with both Schmidt and Van Groningen having a hitting percentage over .290.

For the Pride, Tanner May and Dustin Kuner were the primary targets for setter Benjamin Reiser as Reiser led the match with 25 assists while adding six digs and a block assist with his two middle blockers finishing at 10 and eight kills between May and Kuner respectively with the digs leaders being the nine from Eduardo Hernandez the six from Reiser along with another six from Lachlan Donnelly.

Clarke men's volleyball will stay in the western Iowa area for another Heart of America Athletic Conference rematch when they face Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, Mar. 28 for a scheduled 1:00 p.m. CT first serve between the Pride and Mustangs.