October 8, 2016

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) rolled past Waldorf (Iowa) 25-12 in the first set Saturday afternoon at DSU Fieldhouse, but the Warriors won the next three sets (25-18, 25-22 and 25-23) to earn a 3-1 North Star Athletic Association conference victory.  

The Trojans fell to 6-15 overall record and 2-5 NSAA conference record.  Waldorf improved to 14-14 overall record and 4-3 record in North Star conference action.

DSU opened up the match by cruising to a 7-1 lead and extended it to 15-4.  The Trojans never looked back as they hit .286 (14 kills with 2 errors in 42 attempts) to gain a 1-0 match lead after cruising to a 25-12 victory.  The Warriors were held to minus .018 hitting percentage (8 kills with 9 errors in 56 attempts).

Tied at 7-7 in the second set, WU went on a 9-4 scoring spurt to take a 16-11 lead.  DSU could get no closer than two points at 20-18 as Waldorf closed the second set by scoring five straight points, tying the match at 1-1 after a 25-18 victory.  WU hit .256 (15 kills with 5 errors in 39 attempts) compared to DSU .154 hitting percentage (11 kills with 5 errors in 39 attempts).

Waldorf raced to an 8-1 lead in the third set, forcing the Trojans to call timeout.  Trailing 9-2, the Trojans scored five straight points to cut WU's lead to 9-7.  DSU could get no closer than one point at 20-19 and 22-21 before the Warriors closed the third set with a 3-1 run for a 25-22 victory.

WU outhit DSU 14-10 in the third set.  The Warriors hit .146 (8 errors in 41 attempts) while holding the Trojans to .051 hitting percentage (8 errors in 39 attempts).

Dakota State and Waldorf went through a see-saw battle in the fourth set.  Trailing 21-15, the Trojans mounted a comeback with an 8-2 outburst to knot the fourth set at 23-23.  The Warriors would score the final two points from a kill by Isabelle Rothbauer and Megan Perkins for a 25-25 victory, earning a 3-1 match victory.

The Trojans smashed 17 kills in the fourth set compared to the Warriors 16 kills.

Three DSU players recorded double-digit kills in the match, led by Taylor Stratton and Carly Rozell each with 12 kills.  Tessa Weeldreyer added 10 kills.  Kirstin Johnson and Clarissa Blick each tallied seven kills.

Kaylee Vander Wall contributed 22 set assists for the Trojans.  McKenna DeMoe added 14 assists.

Chelsey Davis recorded a match-high 31 digs for Dakota State.  Blick added 14 digs.

Weeldreyer collected seven block assists for DSU.  Stratton added five block assists.  Kylie Martin, Johnson and Rozell had three block assists.

Rebecca Bartnicki led the Warriors' offensive attack with 16 kills.  Brianna Haugen added 10 kills.    Valerie Rivera registered a double-double of 28 assists and 14 digs.  Elisabeth Tramm had 16 assists and 9 digs.

Briley Sullivan recorded 28 digs for WU.  Erica Fee had 12 digs.  Kelsey Sederquest and Fee each had two service aces.

Kaitlyn Monck collected five block assists for Waldorf.  Bartnicki added four block assists.

WU had a 53-52 slim edge over DSU in total kills, but the Trojans had a better hitting percentage of .194 (19 errors in 170 attempts).  The Warriors hit .135 with 28 attack errors in 185 attempts.  Both teams produced 46 set assists.

Waldorf recorded a service percentage of .953 with five service aces and four errors in 86 attempts.  Dakota State had two service aces, but committed seven errors in 89 attempts for a service percentage of .921.

The Trojans had 11 team blocks compared to the Warriors 10 team blocks.

Dakota State steps aside their NSAA conference play Tuesday night, visiting Grace (Neb.) in a non-conference match.  First serve is set for 7 p.m. at Jim Classen Gymnasium in Omaha, Neb. 

Waldorf returns home Tuesday evening as they host Bethany Lutheran (Minn.) in a non-conference match at 7 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director