September 3, 2014

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

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State kicked off their three-match home stand Wednesday evening at DSU Fieldhouse with a 3-1 victory over in-state Mount Marty (S.D.).  The Trojans won by the scores of 25-17, 22-25, 32-30 and 25-16, earning DSU's first home victory of the season.

Dakota State raised their overall record to 5-4.  Mount Marty, a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, dropped their overall record to 1-5.

Leading 6-5 in the opening set, the Trojans went on a 10-4 scoring tear to earn a 16-9 lead.  DSU took advantage of MMC's 10 attack errors and a negative hitting percentage of .094 to win opening set 25-17.

The Lancers jumped to an 8-3 lead in the second set.  Dakota State was able to rally back within one point at 10-9, but was unable to finish it.  Mount Marty earned a 25-22 second set victory to even the match at 1-1.

Trailing 24-21 in the third set, DSU saved three set points to tie at 24-24.  Each team traded leads or tie the third set, while the Trojans saved four more set points by MMC.  Behind 30-29, DSU closed the third set by scoring three straight points from Caitlin Pick's kill, an attack error from the Lancers and closing the set with a service ace by Katherine Gonzalez.  The Trojans won the third set 32-30, regaining their match lead at 2-1.

Dakota State won the fourth set 25-16, thanks to Lancers' 12 attack errors with a negative .105 hitting percentage.  The Trojans hit .171 in the fourth and outhit MMC 10-8.

Carly Rozell smashed 16 kills and a hitting percentage of .324 to pace the Trojans.  Pick added 12 kills.  Tessa Weeldreyer had eight kills.

Stacey Westby, who was recognized prior to the match for DSU's all-time career set assists, produced 23 assists for Dakota State.  Kaylee Vander Wal added 17 assists.

Katherine Gonzalez recorded a match-high 26 digs for the Trojans.  Westby added 11 digs, recording a double-double. 

Gonzalez had two service aces for Dakota State.  Rozell and Weeldreyer each added a service ace.

Weeldreyer recorded 4.5 blocks in the match for DSU (solo block and seven block assists).  Alicia Karst and Rozell each added five block assists (2.5 total blocks). 

Allison Cross and Sierra Kloth each had eight kills for Mount Marty.  Jena Peters had seven kills.  Amber Dythse collected 28 assists.

Dythse recorded two service aces for the Lancers.  Laura Groseth added a service ace.

BreAnne Thege tallied 21 digs for MMC.  Kayla Jones added 16 digs.

Cross had six blocks assists for MMC.

Dakota State hit .173 in the match compared to Mount Marty .051.  The Trojans had 48 kills with 21 attack errors in 156 attempts, while the Lancers had 46 kills with 38 errors in 158 attempts.

MMC had a service percentage of .910 with three service aces and eight errors.  DSU had four service aces and 11 errors of for a service percentage of .893.

The Trojans earned a season-high 13 blocks in the match, while the Lancers had nine blocks.

Mount Marty swept DSU in junior varsity action in two straight sets.

Dakota State continues their home stand on Friday evening.  The Trojans welcome Grace (Neb.) with a junior varsity match at 6 p.m., followed by a varsity match at 7:30 p.m.  The matches will be held at the DSU Fieldhouse.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director