September 26, 2018

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credit by Cody Welu

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) avenged its season-opening defeat to long-time rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) Wednesday evening at DSU Fieldhouse, kicking off the Trojan Days homecoming week with a 3-1 victory.  The Trojans outhit the Tigers 49-37 in the match.

Set scores were 17-25, 25-17, 25-23 and 25-16.  The victory also snapped DSU's five-match losing streak in the series meeting with DWU (last Trojans' win was on Oct. 27, 2015 at DSU Fieldhouse).

Dakota State earned their second straight win, returning back to .500 with an overall record of 7-7.  Dakota Wesleyan dropped their fourth straight match, their sixth defeat in the last seven matches and fell to 11-7 overall record.  DWU defeated DSU in the first meeting earlier this season at the Corn Palace.

FIRST SET

Both teams struggled to find their offense in the opening set.  At 20-17, the Tigers shut down the Trojans 5-0 to secure a 1-0 match lead after earning a 25-17 victory (including a service ace by Mallory Cooper to close the first set).

DWU recorded 10 kills with 6 errors in 36 attempts for a hitting percentage of .111 in the first set.  DSU was held to a negative .029 hitting percentage (8 kills and committed 9 attack errors in 35 swings). 

SECOND SET

Trailing 12-11 in the second set, the Trojans stormed back by scoring five consecutive points to grab a 16-12 lead.  Barbara Briceno had a pair of kills, while Samantha Zell added a kill and a service ace by Rachel Johnson during DSU's scoring surge.

After the Tigers trimmed Trojans' lead down to 18-16, Dakota State evened the match at 1-1 after closing the second set with a monstrous 7-1 run for a 25-17 win.

DSU outhit DWU 12-7 in the second set.  The Trojans hit .114 (7 errors in 44 attempts) and held the Tigers to minus .073 hitting efficiency (7 kills with 10 attack errors in 41 attempts).

THIRD SET

The Tigers jumped to a 9-4 lead in the third set, but the Trojans answered back with an 11-5 run to knot at 14-14.  DWU would score the next four points to regain their lead at 18-14.

Down 21-17, Dakota State roared back to grab a 2-1 match lead after using an 8-2 outburst for a 25-23 victory.  Briceno smashed three kills, while Zell added two kills during DSU's strong closing run in the third set.

Both teams hit well above .200 in the set.  Dakota State tallied 16 kills with 5 errors in 46 swings for a hitting percentage of .239.  Dakota Wesleyan registered 14 kills with 4 errors in 47 attempts (.213 hitting percentage).

FOURTH SET

The fourth set saw a see-saw battle through the first 22 points with eight ties before Dakota State pulled away for the victory.  Trailing 11-10, the Trojans used another monstrous 11-2 scoring surge for a 21-13 lead.

DSU closed the match after Alwaise Villa's service ace and a kill by Gabby Herlyn for a 25-16 fourth set victory.

The Trojans outhit the Tigers 13-6 in the fourth set.  DSU recorded a hitting percentage of .189 (6 errors in 37 attempts).  DWU was held to minus .030 hitting percentage (7 errors in 33 attempts).

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Three Dakota State players recorded double-digit kills, led by Zell with 13 kills and a hitting percentage of .263.  Briceno produced her ninth double-double of the season after recording 12 kills and 23 digs (tied season-high in digs).  She also had two service aces.  Maddie Polzin had 10 kills.  Kaylee Spreier and Anna Schwint each added five kills.

Johnson paced the Trojans' offense with 27 set assists.  Nicole Sarringar added 17 assists.

Villa tied her season-high 23 digs for DSU.  She had 23 digs in the last three matches, and her fourth time in the last five matches.  Peyton Groft also had a season-high 16 digs.

Zell and Spreier each registered six block assists for Dakota State.  Schwint had five block assists.

Rebecca Frick led the Tigers with 14 kills.  Chelsey Heeg added nine kills.  Emily Brunsing had eight kills.

Bridgett Knobbe posted a double-double of 18 set assists and 10 digs for DWU.  Madlyn Christiansen added a double-double of 15 assists and 11 digs.

Cooper led the Tigers' defense with 18 digs.  She also had two aces.  Chaydon Metzer had four block assists.

Dakota State hit .136 in the match (49 kills with 27 attack errors in 162 attempts) compared to Dakota Wesleyan .064 hitting percentage (37 kills with 27 errors in 157 attempts).

The Trojans had 79 digs, while the Tigers had 78 digs.

DSU tallied 24 block assists and a solo block in the match for a season-high 13 team blocks.  DWU had seven blocks (14 block assists).

The Trojans were 95.7 percent from the serving line, recording six aces and four errors in 92 serves.  The Tigers were 93.8 percent from the service line (2 aces with 5 errors in 81 attempts).

Dakota Wesleyan took the junior varsity match in two straight sets with an identical score of 25-22.

UP NEXT

Dakota State continues their home stand Friday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans swing back in the North Star Athletic Association conference action, hosting Presentation (S.D.).  The junior varsity match, which will be best-of-five match, is set for 5 p.m.  The varsity match is scheduled for 7 p.m.

DSU hosts Mayville State (N.D.) in another North Star match on Saturday.  The junior varsity match is slated for 10 a.m., followed by a varsity match at 12 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director