November 12, 2014

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu and Tyler Flaagan

MADISON, S.D. – Three Mayville State (N.D.) players recorded double-digits kills Wednesday evening, defeating Dakota State (S.D.) in four sets in the North Star Athletic Association Volleyball Postseason Conference Tournament's semifinals.  The Comets posted scores of 25-23, 17-25, 25-19 and 25-18 to advance to the championship match versus top-seed Jamestown (N.D.), who cruised past No. 4 seed Valley City State (N.D.) 25-8, 25-20 and 25-14 Wednesday.

Mayville State, No. 3 seed in the NSAA Volleyball Postseason Tournament, raced to a 4-0 early lead in the opening set of the match.  Dakota State, No. 2 seed in the conference postseason tournament, answered back and tied the first set at 10-10. 

The Comets led 23-18 before the Trojans mounted a comeback.  DSU scored five straight points to tie the opening set at 23-23, thanks to two kills by Caitlin Pick, a service ace by Stacey Westby and a kill by Taylor Stratton.  MSU closed out the first set by scoring the final two points by a kill by Cassie Ziemer and Josette Glatt for a 25-23 victory, earning a 1-0 match lead.

Both teams combined for a total of 114 attack attempts in the opening set.  The Comets hit .164 with 17 kills and committed 7 errors in 61 attempts.  The Trojans hit .151 with 11 kills and 3 errors in 53 attempts.

Mayville State and Dakota State kicked off the second set with nine ties.  At 11-10, the Trojans exploded with a 14-5 scoring run to extend their lead at 24-15.  MSU could get no closer than seven points as DSU secured the second set after a kill by Tessa Weeldreyer, tying the match at 1-1.

DSU hit an impressive .326 in the second set, smashing 17 kills with 3 errors in 43 attempts.  MSU was held to .186 (13 kills with 5 errors in 43 attempts).

The Comets and Trojans started the third set similar to the start of the second set, going through eight ties.  Trailing 9-8, MSU went on a 4-0 scoring run to grab a 12-9 lead. 

At 19-17, Mayville State closed the third set with a 6-2 run for a 25-19 victory.  The Comets regained their match lead at 2-1.

MSU hit .281 in the third set by recording 12 kills with 3 errors in 32 attempts.  DSU had 15 kills, but committed 8 attack errors in 41 attempts for a hitting percentage of .171.

The Trojans scored the first two points of the fourth set after Pick and Alicia Karst recorded a kill (2-0 DSU lead).  The Comets answered back with four straight kills by Glatt (2 kills), Remington Werner and Katie Wangberg for a 4-2 lead.

Leading 15-10, Mayville State used a 9-5 run to gain a 24-15 lead.  The Trojans scored three straight points to cut MSU's lead to 24-18.  The Comets secured the match after a kill by Kaitlyn Timian for a 25-18 fourth set victory.

Mayville State hit .390 in the fourth set (19 kills, 3 errors in 41 attempts) compared to Dakota State .179 (11 kills, 4 errors in 39 attempts).

Pick led the Trojans' offense attack with 15 kills.  Carly Rozell added 10 kills.  Weeldreyer smashed nine kills.  Stratton had eight kills.

Westby and Kaylee Vander Wall each produced 23 set assists for Dakota State.  Westby had a double-double after earning 12 digs.

Katherine Gonzalez collected 18 digs for DSU's defense.  Chelsey Davis added 14 digs.  Allison Thielsen had 13 digs.

Gonzalez had two service aces for the Trojans.  Weeldreyer, Westby, Thielsen and Rozell each had an ace.

Rozell recorded 2.5 total blocks (solo block and three block assists) for Dakota State.  Pick had three block assists (1.5 total blocks).

Glatt earned a match-high 20 kills for the Comets.  Werner added 15 kills.  Timian had 14 kills. 

Wangberg had a double-double of 43 assists and 25 digs for MSU.  She had nine kills.

Paige O'Connor tallied 25 digs for Mayville State.  Katie Kolness had 15 digs.  Kayla Lundon recorded 11 digs.

Ziemer, Kolness and Lundon each had a service ace for the Comets.

The Comets outhit the Trojans 61-54 in the match.  MSU hit .243 (18 errors in 177 attempts) compared to DSU .205 (18 errors in 176 attempts).

Dakota State earned six service aces, while Mayville State had three service aces.  The Comets had a service percentage of .978, committing just two service errors in 91 attempts.  The Trojans recorded a service percentage of .965 with three service errors in 86 attempts.

MSU had 98 digs compared to DSU 88 digs.  The Trojans finished with six team blocks, while the Comets had four team blocks.

It was the final collegiate volleyball match for three DSU's seniors – Gonzalez, Pick and Westby.

Dakota State finished their stellar 2014 season with an overall record 21-15, the most victories since 2004 and a winning season since 2005.

Mayville State continues their season Friday evening as they visit Jamestown in the NSAA Volleyball Postseason Conference Tournament's championship match.  First serve from the Hansen Center is set for 7 p.m. in Jamestown, N.D.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director