November 16, 2019

WATERTOWN, S.D. – Second-seeded Dakota State (S.D.) faced top-seeded Viterbo (Wis.) in the North Star Athletic Association Volleyball conference tournament's championship match for the second consecutive year Saturday afternoon at the Civic Arena.  The Trojans grabbed a 1-0 match lead (25-22) but fell in the next three sets (25-16, 25-20, 25-21) as the V-Hawks captured the NSAA tournament's title.

Viterbo, ranked No. 6 in the NAIA Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, will carry their 11-match winning streak into the final site of the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament.  The V-Hawks (31-5 overall record) will represent the NSAA's automatic bid to the national tournament.

Dakota State, who is ranked No. 31 in the national poll in the receiving votes section, fell to 19-12 overall record.  The Trojans await to hear from the NAIA national office they have a case for an at-large bid to the 44-team NAIA Volleyball National Tournament. 

The NAIA Volleyball National Tournament Opening Round is set for Nov. 23 at the campus sites, with opening round runners joining the NAIA's top 11 (or 12) teams from the Top 25 to the final site of the national tournament at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa on Dec. 3-7.  The NAIA Volleyball Selection Show is set for Monday at 10 a.m.

(6) Viterbo (Wis.) 3, (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL (22-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-21)

• Dakota State and Viterbo battled through an evenly-contest in the first set.  Trailing 9-8, the V-Hawks used a 5-0 scoring run to open a 13-9 lead over the Trojans.  DSU rallied back to tie at 17-17 after an attack error on VU.
• Down 18-17, DSU went on a 3-0 scoring run to overtake a 20-18 lead and never trailed for the rest of the set.  Riley Grandpre smashed a kill followed by Hanna Jellema's kill gave the Trojans a 25-22 victory and 1-0 match lead.
• Both teams smashed 15 kills in the first set.  The V-Hawks, however, committed six attack errors in 36 swings (.250 hitting percentage) while the Trojans hit an impressive .353 (3 errors in 34 attempts).
• After Dakota State grabbed a 2-1 lead in the second set, Viterbo exploded for a 9-2 outburst to earn a 10-3 lead and never looked back.  The V-Hawks hit .429 (16 kills with 4 errors in 28 attempts) as they cruised to a 25-16 victory to even the match at 1-1.  DSU was held to .063 hitting percentage (6 errors in 32 attempts).
• VU kicked off the third set with a 7-3 lead.  DSU would come back to tie the set at 12-12 after an attack error on the V-Hawks.  Holding a 16-15 lead, the V-Hawks scored six consecutive points capped by three straight kills by Katie Frohmader for 22-15 lead.
• The Trojans answer with a 5-1 scoring run to cut Viterbo's lead to 23-20.  Maya Roberts smashed a kill followed by Miah Garant's kill secure the third set at 25-20, giving the V-Hawks a 2-1 match lead.
• Viterbo outhit Dakota State 12-8 in the third set.  VU hit .128 (7 errors in 39 attempts) and held DSU to .027 hitting percentage (7 errors in 37 swings).
• The fourth set showed an offensive firepower in both teams, totaling 37 kills combined both by the Trojans and the V-Hawks.  Leading 16-13, VU started to pull away after using a 5-0 run to balloon their lead to 21-13.
• Dakota State mounted a comeback late in the fourth set, sparking a 7-2 run to trim their deficit to 23-20.  After DSU saved one match point and trailed 24-21, Garant closed out the match with a kill (assisted by Lauryn Sobasky) for a 25-21 win.
• Maddie Polzin and Jellema fueled the Trojans' offense attack with 11 kills each.  Samantha Zell, Grandpre and Barbara Briceno each added seven kills.  Nicole Sarringar produced 24 set assists and two service aces.  Rachel Johnson had 15 assists and eight digs.
• Briceno led DSU's defense with 20 digs.  Peyton Groft added 13 digs.  Zell registered five block assists. 
• Three VU players hit double figures in the match, paced by the tournament's Most Valuable Player Frohmader with 20 kills and hit .311.  Garant added 18 kills.  Roberts had 15 kills.  Sobasky posted a double-double of 27 set assists and 10 digs.  Abbey Johnson contributed 28 set assists and nine digs. 
• Adrianna Reinhardt had 16 digs for the V-Hawks.  Rekha Drevlow registered five block assists.  Kenzie Winker added four block assists.
• Viterbo outhit Dakota State 65-46 in the match.  The V-Hawks hit .306 (21 errors in 144 swings) compared to the Trojans .203 (17 errors in 143 attempts).

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director