October 26, 2019

Photos credit by Donald Weidler

MADISON, S.D. – Mayville State (N.D.) took advantage of Dakota State's (S.D.) 42 attack errors and eight service errors, holding on a 3-2 North Star Athletic Association volleyball thriller Saturday afternoon at DSU Fieldhouse.  Despite the setback, the Trojans outhit the Comets 68-37.

Dakota State fell to 16-9 overall record and 8-3 record in North Star conference matches.  Mayville State improved to 17-11 overall record and 6-5 NSAA conference record.  Both teams split their two meetings this season, with the team winning on the road (DSU swept at MSU 3-0 earlier this season).

The Trojans plays its final non-conference match of the season on Tuesday evening, visiting long-time rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).  The junior varsity match kicks off at 6 p.m., followed by the varsity match at 7:30 p.m.  Both matches will be held at the Christen Athletic Center on the campus of DWU in Mitchell, S.D.

Mayville State (N.D.) 3, (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL (13-25, 25-15, 18-25, 25-18, 15-11)

• Dakota State raced to an 11-3 lead in the first set and widen their lead to 23-9.  The Trojans outhit the Comets 16-5, cruising to a 25-13 victory for a 1-0 match lead.  Six different DSU hitters—Maddie Polzin, Barbara Briceno, Payton Johanneson, Riley Grandpre, Kelsey Pearson and Hanna Jellema—recorded at least a kill in the first set.
• The second set was controlled by Mayville State, opening with an 8-2 lead and never looked back.  The Trojans, however, outhit the Comets 10-7 in the set.  MSU took advantage of 11 attack errors and three service errors committed by DSU.  Mayville State collected seven total team blocks through the first two sets, thanks to four blocks by Victoria Johnson to even the match at 1-1.
• DSU used a fast start in the third set, gaining a 6-1 lead over MSU.  Mayville State could not get no closer than three points for the rest of the set.  Leading 22-18, Samantha Zell smashed a pair of kills along with an attack error by the Comets to give DSU a 2-1 match lead after a 25-18 victory.
• Dakota State smashed 22 kills in the third set compared to Mayville State nine kills.  The Trojans hit an impressive .311 (8 errors in 45 swings) while holding the Comets to .154 hitting efficiency (3 errors in 39 attempts).
• Both teams went through seven ties in the first 14 rallies of the fourth set.  Trailing 7-6, the Comets used a 4-0 outburst from three miscues by the Trojans and a kill by Comet Jayden Warner.  Dakota State could get no closer than two points as Mayville State pulled away to force the fifth set after earning a 25-18 victory.
• Mayville State and Dakota State recorded seven ties in the fifth set.  After falling behind 11-8, the Trojans earned a kill by Zell followed by two straight kills by Briceno to tie at 11-11.  MSU would close the match with a 4-0 run, ending with a block assist by Elora Passa and Johnson to secure a 3-2 victory.
• Briceno posted a double-double of 21 kills and collected 23 digs for Dakota State.  Rachel Johnson also added a double-double of 38 set assists and 13 digs.  Nicole Sarringar added 20 assists and nine digs.
• Polzin and Zell each smashed 10 kills for the Trojans.  Jellema and Grandpre each added nine kills.  Polzin and Briceno each had two service aces. 
• Peyton Groft recorded a career-high 36 digs for DSU's defense.  Gracie Kluever added 17 digs.  Grandpre had four blocks (1 solo, 3 assist).  Polzin added three block assists.
• Hannah Bliss led the Comets' offense attack with 14 kills.  Kiana Johnson added eight kills.  Victoria Johnson tallied seven kills and eight blocks (1 solo, 7 assist).  Ashley Pyburn added five block assists.
• Passa produced a double-double of 32 set assists and 13 digs for Mayville State.  Warner registered a match-high 42 digs and recorded three service aces.
• Dakota State hit .114 in the match (68 kills with 42 attack errors in 229 swings) compared to Mayville State .103 hitting percentage (37 kills with 18 errors in 185 attempts).  
• The Comets were 97.9 percent from the serving line, recording three aces and two errors in 96 serves.  The Trojans had four aces and eight errors in 94 attempts for a service percentage of 91.5. 
• A total of 222 digs combined by both teams were recorded in the match.  DSU recorded a season-high 115 digs in the match, the most digs since Oct. 20, 2018 with 114 digs at Mayville State.  MSU had 107 digs in the match.
• Mayville State had 14 blocks (1 solo, 26 assists) while Dakota State had eight blocks (2 solo, 12 assist). 
• Dakota State's junior varsity team breezed past Mayville State (N.D.) in three straight sets, raising their overall record to 12-3 on the season.  The Trojans won by the scores of 25-6, 25-7 and 25-14.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director