November 9, 2018

TOURNAMENT PAGE

La CROSSE, Wis. – Dakota State (S.D.) grabbed a 2-0 match lead Friday evening over No. 25-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) in the North Star Athletic Association Volleyball Postseason Tournament's semifinal match.  The Bruins rallied back to force the fifth and deciding set, which was won by the Trojans.  DSU advanced to its first-ever NSAA Volleyball Postseason Tournament's championship match for the first time after a five-set thriller by scores of 25-20, 25-23, 20-25, 19-25 and 15-9.

Dakota State – No. 3 seed in the conference tournament – won their fifth straight match, raising their overall record to 19-12 (most wins since 2015).  It was DSU's third straight win over NAIA's Top 25 nationally-ranked teams (defeated at No. 20 Bellevue on Oct. 9, versus No. 7 Viterbo, Wis. on Nov. 3 and tonight versus No. 25 Bellevue).

Bellevue, No. 2 seed in the NSAA Volleyball conference tournament, fell to 23-11 overall record.  The Bruins await to hear from the NAIA national office to see if they have enough to secure one of the at-large bid to the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament's opening round, which is scheduled for Nov. 17 at campus sites.

FIRST SET

Trailing 10-8 in the opening set, Barbara Briceno's two kills and a kill from Samantha Zell sparked DSU's 5-0 scoring run for a 13-10 lead.  The Trojans widen their lead to 21-16 and never looked back to gain a 1-0 match lead.

Maddie Polzin smashed a kill to give DSU's set point at 24-20.  Kaylee Spreier and Kelsey Pearson each recorded a block assist to secure the first set at 25-20.

Bellevue had 13 kills in the opening set, but committed seven attack errors in 40 swings (.150 hitting percentage).  Dakota State recorded 12 kills and four errors in 45 attempts (.178 hitting efficiency). 

SECOND SET

Down 9-8, Dakota State took advantage of Bellevue's three straight attack errors as part of 6-0 scoring run (DSU led 14-9).

With the Trojans leading 16-10, the Bruins stormed back with a 7-0 outburst to regained their lead at 17-16. 

Tied at 22-22, a kill by Spreier (assisted by Nicole Sarringar) followed by Spreier's service ace gave Dakota State two set point chances at 24-22.  Sierra Athen smashed a kill to cut DSU's lead to 24-23.

Zell closed the second set by a kill to extend DSU's match lead to 2-0 after a 25-23 victory.

BU outhit DSU 13-10, despite losing the second set.  The Bruins committed six attack errors in 38 swings (.184 hitting percentage).  The Trojans had five attack errors in 39 attempts (.128 hitting efficiency). 

THIRD SET

Bellevue and Dakota State went through a see-saw battle through the first 20 points of the third set, tying at 20-20.  The Bruins went on a 7-1 scoring tear to open up a 17-11 lead.

DSU could get no closer than three points at 21-18.  BU went on to score the next three points for a 24-18 lead before the Trojans scored two straight points (DSU trailed 24-20).  An attack error by the Trojans gave BU a 25-20 victory, extending the match into the fourth set.

Both teams struggled offensively, with each team recording eight kills.  DSU committed 13 attack errors in 37 swings (minus .135 hitting percentage).  BU had five attack errors in 27 attempts (.111 hitting percentage).

FOURTH SET

The Bruins opened up by scoring four straight points for a 4-0 lead.  The Trojans answered back with an 7-2 run to earn their first lead of the fourth set at 7-6.

Bellevue widen their lead to 19-14 before Dakota State scored three consecutive points (BU led 19-17).  The Bruins closed the fourth set with a 6-2 run for a 25-19 victory, forcing the fifth and deciding set.

Both teams registered seven kills in the fourth set.  The Trojans, however, suffered 12 attack errors in 26 swings (negative .192 hitting percentage).  The Bruins had four attack errors in 19 attempts (.158 hitting percentage)

FIFTH SET

Dakota State raced to a 3-0 lead in the deciding set, thanks to three straight errors by the Bruins (including a block assist by Zell and Polzin).  The Bruins rallied back to knot the set at 5-5.

The Trojans mounted a 6-1 outburst to widen their lead at 11-6.  DSU's scoring run included a kill by three different hitters (Polzin, Spreier and Anna Schwint) and a service ace by Peyton Groft.

Bellevue answered with a 3-1 run to cut DSU's lead to 12-9, forcing the Trojans to burn their first timeout of the fifth set.  Coming from the timeout, the Trojans jumped to a 13-9 lead after an attack error by BU.

Pearson smashed a kill to give the Trojans a match point at 14-9.  Dakota State secured the match after Zell's solo block that send to the first-ever NSAA Volleyball Tournament's championship match in program history.

DSU outhit BU 7-5 in the deciding set.  The Trojans hit .179 (2 errors in 28 swings) compared to the Bruins .000 hitting percentage (5 errors in 26 attempts).

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Polzin led the Trojans with 12 kills.  Briceno earned her 20th double-double of the season with 11 kills and tallied 14 digs.  Spreier and Pearson each had seven kills. 

Sarringar produced a double-double of 19 set assists and 10 digs for Dakota State.  Rachel Johnson added 16 kills. 

Groft collected 12 digs for DSU.  Alwaise Villa added 11 digs.  Zell recorded five blocks (1 solo, 4 assists).  Spreier, Pearson and Polzin each had three block assists.

The Trojans recorded 11 service aces in the match, thanks four aces each by Spreier and Sarringar.  Briceno added two aces, while Groft recorded one ace.

Sierra Athen led the Bruins with 1 kills.  Shayla Scanlan had nine kills.  Andrea Carson recorded eight kills. 

Olivia Galas posted a double-double of 41 set assists and 11 digs for Bellevue.  She also had three aces and two block assists. 

Madi Evans led BU's defense with 22 digs.  Sidney Craig added 13 digs.  Faiola Aviles had 12 digs

Both teams struggled offensively in the match.  BU outhit DSU 46-44.  The Trojans recorded 36 attack errors in 175 swings (.046 hitting percentage).  The Bruins had 27 attack errors in 150 attempts (.127 hitting percentage).

DSU was better at the serving line with a 93.1 percentage rate (7 errors in 102 serves).  BU committed 14 service errors in 103 attempts and registered eight aces (.864 service percentage).

The Trojans had 10 team blocks (2 solo, 16 assists) compared to the Bruins 8 team blocks (16 block assists).  BU had 84 digs compared to DSU 70 digs.

UP NEXT

Dakota State will play in their first-ever North Star Volleyball Postseason Tournament's championship match Saturday afternoon.  The Trojans await the winner of No. 4 seed Valley City State (N.D.)/No. 1 seed Viterbo (Wis.).  First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium.

The winner of the conference postseason tournament will receive the NSAA's automatic bid to the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament, with the opening round scheduled for Nov. 17 at campus sites and final site in Sioux City, Iowa on Nov. 27-Dec. 1.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director