September 18, 2014

PHOTO GALLERY:  Junior Varsity - Varsity - Photos credits by Cody Welu

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) returned home at DSU Fieldhouse Thursday evening for their homecoming volleyball match versus Presentation (S.D.).  The Trojans hit. .313 in the match to sweep the Saints in three straight sets by the scores of 25-18, 25-14 and 25-21 in both teams' North Star Athletic Association volleyball conference season opener.  It was the fifth straight victory for DSU.

Dakota State, which kicked off their four-match home stand, recorded their eighth win in the last nine matches (8-1 record in the month of September).  The Trojans had won their last four home matches (4-1 home record).  Presentation dropped their overall record to 6-8 and 0-1 NSAA conference record.

Leading 12-11 in the opening set, the Trojans went on a 9-2 scoring run to extend their lead to 21-14.  DSU was able to close out the first set with a 25-18 victory after hitting .261 (16 hits with 4 errors in 46 attempts).  PC was held to .063 (9 hits with 6 errors in 48 attempts). 

Katherine Gonzalez led the Trojans' defense with 12 digs in the first set.  Four DSU players – Brittney Anderson, Tessa Weeldreyer, Caitlin Pick and Alicia Karst – each registered three kills in the opening set.  Stacey Westby and Kaylee Vander Wall – setters for the Trojans – each produced seven set assists.

Trailing 7-5 in the second set, the Saints scored five consecutive points to gain a 10-7 lead and forced the Trojans to call timeout.  DSU answered back with five straight points to regain their lead at 12-10, resulting a timeout for Presentation.  The Trojans continued to soar as they closed the second set with an 18-4 run for a 25-14 victory.

The third set saw a see-saw battle between DSU and PC, including 10 ties.  At 21-21, the Trojans scored the final four points of the match, thanks to Gonzalez's service and three consecutive kills to seal the match (25-21). 

Dakota State hit an impressive .444 in the third set (18 kills with 2 errors in 36 attempts) compared to Presentation .297 (15 kills with 4 errors in 37 attempts).

Five Trojan players earned at least six kills in the match.  Weeldreyer and Rozell each collected 10 kills.  Anderson and Pick each added seven kills.  Kylie Martin smashed six kills.

Westby tallied a match-high 23 assists for Dakota State.  Vander Wall added 15 assists.

Gonzalez recorded 25 digs for the Trojans.  She had a career-high five service aces.  Chelsey Davis had 12 digs.

Weeldreyer had two block assists (1 total block) and two service aces for DSU.  Martin and Karst each added a block assist.

Megan Ochsner led the Saints' offense with 14 kills.  She recorded a double-double with 10 digs.  Karly Fuhrman added 10 kills. 

Abigail Wahl recorded 14 assists for Presentation.  Carly Peterson added 10 assists.

Alyssa Jung earned 16 digs for PC.  Fuhrman and Ochsner each had a block assist.

Dakota State outhit Presentation 46-32 in the match.  The Trojans committed 11 errors in 112 attempts, while the Saints had 15 errors in 113 attempts for a hitting efficiency of .150.

DSU earned eight service aces and a service percentage of .946 in the match.  PC had two service aces and recorded a service percentage of .963.

The Trojans had 62 digs compared to the Saints' 49 digs.

DSU won the junior varsity match by a 3-0 sweep over PC (25-19, 25-20, 25-12).

Dakota State stays home on Tuesday evening as they host College of Saint Mary (Neb.) in a non-conference match at DSU Fieldhouse.  First serve is set for 6 p.m. as part of DSU Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director

Photos credits by by Kaden Huntrods