October 24, 2017

MAYVILLE, N.D. – After dropping the first set 25-19 Tuesday evening at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse, Dakota State (S.D.) went on to held Mayville State (N.D.) to below .100 hitting percentage for a key 3-1 North Star conference volleyball victory.  The Trojans won by the set scores of 19-25, 25-21, 25-14 and 25-19.

Dakota State extended their season-high winning streak to four matches and recorded their fifth win in the last six matches.  The Trojans improved their overall record to 10-20 and 4-7 record in North Star conference play.  DSU also earned double-digit victories for the fourth straight season (also the seventh time in the last eight years that the Trojans reached double-digit wins).  Mayville State fell to 6-22 overall record and 2-9 NSAA conference record.

Dakota State took both North Star volleyball conference meetings this season (Trojans defeated Comets in five sets last month at DSU Fieldhouse).

FIRST SET

Mayville State and Dakota State went through four times and two lead changes in the opening set.  The Comets won by the score of 25-19 to take a 1-0 match lead.  DSU outhit MSU 12-11, but committed eight attack errors in 39 attempts (.103 hitting percentage).  The Comets recorded a hitting efficiency of .167 (5 attack errors in 36 swings).

SECOND SET

Trailing 11-9 in the second set, the Trojans scored five straight points to overtake a 14-11 lead.  The Comets would answered back to tie at 14-14.  At 20-20, DSU secured the second set after using a 5-1 run for a 25-21 victory and tied the match at 1-1.

Dakota State had 14 kills in the second set compared to Mayville State 13 kills.  The Trojans took advantage of Comets' 10 attack errors in 55 attempts (.055 hitting percentage).  DSU hit .173 (5 attack errors in 52 attempts).

THIRD SET

Mayville State opened up with a 3-1 lead in the third set, but Dakota State roared back with an 8-1 scoring tear to take a 9-4 lead.  Anna Schwint had three kills during DSU's scoring run, while Jazmayne Williams added two kills.  Kaylee Spreier also had a kill.

Dakota State continued their scoring outburst, leading as many as 13 points at 23-10.  The Trojans closed out the third set with a 25-14 victory and earned a 2-1 match lead.

DSU pounded 17 kills in the third set compared to MSU 7 kills.  Dakota State hit an impressive .314 (5 errors in 35 swings) while holding Mayville State to .061 hitting percentage (5 kills in 33 attempts).

FOURTH SET

Tied at 5-5, the Trojans used a 7-2 scoring run to earn a 12-7 lead and never looked back.  The Comets could get no closer than one point at 16-15, but Dakota State closed the match with a 9-4 run for a 25-19 victory (Samantha Zell smashed three kills during the Trojans' strong closing run).

Dakota State hit a stellar .325 in the fourth set, smashing 16 kills with 3 errors in 40 attempts.  Mayville State registered a hitting percentage of .073 (12 kills with 9 errors in 41 attempts).

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Carly Rozell smashed a match-high 14 kills and hit .300 for Dakota State.  She increased her career kills total to 1,410 at DSU, which is currently the second-most all-time kills in Trojan Volleyball record book.  She added a double-double with 15 digs.

Zell added 12 kills and registered a hitting efficiency of .333 for the Trojans.  Spreier had nine kills.  Schwint recorded eight kills.  Maddie Polzin and Williams each had seven kills. 

Rachel Johnson contributed 28 set assists for the Trojans' offense.  Kendra Steffen also produced 24 assists.  Polzin and Rozell each had a service ace.

Bailee Steffensen led DSU's defense with 20 digs.  Alwaise Villa added 12 digs.  Williams collected 10 digs.  Spreier recorded two solo blocks and four block assists.  Rozell added two solo blocks and two block assists.

Hannah Bliss led the Comets with 13 kills.  Cassidy Miller added 11 kills and hit .323 in the match.  Whitney Janu recorded eight kills.

Jana Mehus posted a double-double of 27 assists and 10 digs for Mayville State.  Makenzie Bring added 10 assists.

TaLise Hansen led the Comets' defense with 24 digs.  Jayden Warner added 14 digs.  Jacey Ross had 12 digs. 

Janu registered a solo block and three block assists for MSU. 

Dakota State smashed 58 kills in the match compared to Mayville State 43 kills.  The Trojans posted a .223 hitting percentage of .223 (21 errors in 166 attempts) while holding the Comets to .085 hitting efficiency (29 attack errors in 165 swings).

MSU was near perfect at the serving line, recording a 98.8 percent service rate with three aces and an error in 80 serves.  DSU was 90.3 percent from the serving line, recording two aces and nine errors in 93 attempts.

Dakota State collected 12 blocks (7 solo, 10 assist) compared to Mayville State 7 blocks (2 solo, 10 assist).

The Trojans recorded 93 digs in the match while the Comets had 87 digs.

UP NEXT

Dakota State returns home this weekend to kick off their five-match home stand at DSU Fieldhouse.  On Friday, the Trojans host Dickinson State (N.D.) in another key North Star conference match-up.  First serve is set for 6 p.m.

On Saturday, DSU hosts No. 19-ranked Jamestown (N.D.) in the annual Dig Pink match to raise cancer awareness.  The match is set for 4 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director