October 12, 2018

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) outhit Morningside (Iowa) 40-38, but committed 26 attack errors Friday evening in a 3-0 home setback in the annual Dig Pink volleyball match at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Mustangs won by the scores of 25-22, 25-21 and 25-20, halting Trojans' four-match home winning streak.

Dakota State fell to 11-10 overall record.  Morningside improved to 12-8 overall record.

FIRST SET

Morningside and Dakota State went through a see-saw battle in the early first set.  Knotted at 10-10, the Mustangs went on a 5-1 scoring run for the biggest lead of the first set at 15-11.

The Trojans answered back with a 7-3 run to tie at 18-18.  MC closed the first set with a 7-4 run for a 25-22 win, securing a 1-0 match lead.

Dakota State outhit Morningside 15-13 in the first set.  The Trojans committed 10 attack errors and were held to .102 hitting percentage (49 swings).  The Mustangs hit .186 (5 errors in 43 attempts).

SECOND SET

MC opened up the second set by scoring five straight points for a 5-0 lead.  The Trojans rallied back with a 11-6 run to knot at 11-11. 

Deadlocked at 20-20, the Mustangs used a strong 5-1 closing run (with three kills coming from Krista Zenk) to claim a 25-21 victory and extended their match lead to 2-0. 

Morningside smashed 12 kills in the second set compared to Dakota State 11 kills.  The Mustangs hit .147 (34 attempts) while the Trojans were held to .108 hitting percentage (37 swings).  Both teams committed seven attack errors.

THIRD SET

Morningside raced to a 10-4 lead in the third set.  Trailing 18-12, Dakota State stormed back by scoring six straight points to tie at 18-18.  The Mustangs committed three attack errors during DSU's 6-0 scoring run. 

MC was able to use another strong closing run, breaking the 20-20 tie by scoring the final five points of the match for a 25-20 victory.

DSU recorded 14 kills in the third set compared to MC 13 kills.  However, the Mustangs hit .214 (4 attack errors in 42 attempts) and held the Trojans to .106 hitting percentage (9 errors in 47 attempts).

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Maddie Polzin paced the Trojans' offense attack with 10 k ills and hit .286 in the match.  Barbara Briceno smashed nine kills.  Samantha Zell had eight kills.  Kaylee Spreier and Anna Schwint each registered five kills.

Rachel Johnson produced a double-double of 16 set assists and 11 digs for DSU.  Nicole Sarringar added 15 assists.

Briceno led Dakota State's defense with 12 digs.  Peyton Groft and Alwaise Villa each collected eight digs.  Zell recorded four blocks (1 solo, 3 assists). 

Zenk led the Mustangs with a match-high 16 kills and posted a double-double with 17 digs for Morningside.  Emma Gerber added nine kills and six blocks (1 solo, 5 assists).  Caitlin Makovicka had eight kills. 

Callie Alberico had 32 set assists for the Mustangs.  Kayla Harris tallied 22 digs.

Morningside hit .185 in the match (38 kills with 16 attack errors in 119 attempts) compared to Dakota State .105 hitting percentage (40 kills with 26 attack errors in 133 swings).  The Mustangs recorded nine team blocks (2 solos, 14 assists) while the Trojans had five team blocks (1 solo, 8 assists).

MC was 93.2 percent from the serving line with an ace and five errors in 74 serves.  DSU was 90.6 service percentage with an ace and six errors in 64 attempts. Morningside had 63 digs compared to Dakota State 55 digs.

DSU rallied back for a 2-1 victory over MC in the junior varsity match (20-25, 25-12 and 15-12).

UP NEXT

Dakota State heads back on the road next week.  The Trojans swing back in the North Star Athletic Association conference action, visiting Presentation (S.D.) on Friday.  The junior varsity match takes place at 4 p.m., followed by the varsity match at 6 p.m.  Both matches will be at Strode Center in Aberdeen, S.D.

Next Saturday, DSU travels to Mayville State (N.D.) for another North Star conference contest at 10 a.m. (junior varsity) and 12 p.m. (varsity match).

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director

Best Dressed Dig Pink