August 27, 2016

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Dakota State (S.D.) was held to below .100 hitting percentage in a pair of matches against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference in the Red Raider Volleyball Invitational, hosted by Northwestern (Iowa) Saturday at Bultman Center.  The Trojans lost to Doane (Neb.) 25-16, 25-17 and 25-13.  Morningside (Iowa) won the rematch with DSU in the final match of the tournament in four sets – 23-25, 25-13, 25-14 and 25-14.

Dakota State is searching for the first win of the season after dropping their five matches of the season.  Doane is 7-1 overall record, while Morningside improved to 4-1 overall record.

Doane (Neb.) 3, Dakota State (S.D.) 0 – FINAL

The Tigers powered past the Trojans by outhitting 44-17 in the match.  Doane hit .273 (17 errors in 99 attempts while Dakota State recorded .036 hitting percentage (14 errors in 83 attempts).

Tessa Weeldreyer led the Trojans with six kills.  Carly Rozell had four kills.  Kaylee Vander Wal registered 11 set assists.  Chelsey Davis led DSU's defense with nine digs. 

Shelbi Mlynczak smashed 15 kills and hit .750 in the match for Doane.  Kaitlin Bradley had a double-double of 10 kills and 10 digs.  Alex Neff produced 26 assists.  Erin Warren recorded 11 digs.

Morningside (Iowa) 3, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL

Dakota State hit .250 in the opening set and held on for a 25-23 victory and 1-0 match lead in the final match of the tournament.  Morningside hit .244, but committed six attack errors in the set compared to Trojans' four attack errors.

The Mustangs cruised past the Trojans in the next three sets for a 3-1 victory, holding DSU to less than .100 hitting percentage.

Weeldryer and Clarissa Blick each smashed nine kills for DSU.  Rozell added eight kills.  Vander Wal led the Trojans with a double-double of 22 assists and 10 digs. 

Davis led Dakota State's defense with 17 digs.  Hannah Bauer added 10 digs.  Rozell and Weeldreyer each recorded three block assists.

Jenn Buyert had a match-high 17 kills for the Mustangs.  Brittni Olson added 14 kills.  Taylor Ferguson earned 23 assists, while Brittany Fleming had 19 assists.  Nikki Obberfoeil collected 22 digs.

Dakota State returns back to Bultman Center Wednesday evening as they visit No. 24-ranked Northwestern.  First serve is set for 7:30 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director