October 21, 2016
Photos credits by Kaden Huntrods
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) registered a season-high 12 blocks along with three players recording double-digits kills in 3-0 North Star Athletic Association volleyball sweep over Mayville State (N.D.) Friday evening at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans posted scores of 26-24, 25-14 and 25-19.
Dakota State, which also snapped their four-match NSAA conference losing skid, raised their overall record to 8-17 and 3-7 NSAA record. Mayville State fell to 10-18 overall record and 2-7 NSAA conference record.
The Trojans and Comets went through a see-saw battle in the opening set, featuring eight ties and six lead changes. Trailing 24-21, the Trojans saved MSU's three set points and went on to score five consecutive points – thanks to a pair of kills by Kirstin Johnson and Carly Rozell – to gain a 26-24 victory and 1-0 match lead.
DSU hit .118 in the first set by recording 13 kills with 7 errors in 51 attempts. MSU was held to .078 hitting efficiency with 15 kills and committed 11 attack errors in 51 attempts.
Dakota State roared to a 14-6 lead in the second set and never look back to earn a 2-0 match lead after cruising to a 25-14 victory. The Trojans hit an impressive .394 (15 kills with 2 errors in 33 attempts), while holding the Comets to negative .029 hitting percentage (9 kills with 10 errors in 35 attempts).
The Trojans outhit the Comets 19-12 in the third set to complete a three-set sweep by the score of 25-19. DSU registered a hitting percentage of .341 (4 errors in 44 attempts) compared to MSU's .171 hitting efficiency (5 errors in 41 attempts).
Rozell led Dakota State's offensive attack with 12 kills and hit .440 in the match. Clarissa Blick tallied a double-double of 10 kills and 11 digs. Kylie Martin smashed a season-high 10 kills and recorded a match-high .474 hitting percentage. Johnson had six kills. Taylor Stratton recorded five kills.
Kaylee Vander Wal produced 25 set assists for the Trojans. McKenna DeMoe added 13 assists.
Chelsey Davis collected 19 digs for DSU. Hannah Bauer added eight digs.
Six different Trojans recorded at least two block assists in the match, led by Tessa Weeldreyer with six block assists. Johnson had five block assists. Martin contributed five blocks (1 solo). Rozell had three block assists. Blick and Stratton each had two block assists. As a team, DSU accumulated 12 team blocks in the match.
Stephany Wold recorded 10 kills and hit .348 in the match for Mayville State (N.D.). Whitney Janu and Hannah Bliss each had six kills. Megan Kolness registered 19 assists. Makenzie Bring had nine assists.
TaLise Hansen led the Comets' defense with 21 digs. Jayden Warner added 11 digs.
Dakota State outhit Mayville State 47-36 in the match. The Trojans hit .266 by just committing 13 attack errors in 128 attempts. The Comets suffered 26 attack errors in 127 attempts for a hitting percentage of .079.
MSU was near-perfect from the serving line, recording 98.3 percent with one service error and a service ace in 59 attempts. DSU was 90.5 percent from the serving line with seven errors and two aces in 74 attempts.
Dakota State remains home Saturday afternoon for another key North Star conference match-up, hosting Valley City State (N.D.). First serve is set for 3 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.
Mayville State heads to Bellevue (Neb.) to play a pair of matches in a triangular with Bellevue (at 12 noon) and the College of the Ozarks (Mo.) (at 2 p.m.) Saturday afternoon.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
