October 10, 2020
Photos credit by Donald Weidler
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) took advantage of Viterbo's (Wis.) 34 attack errors and 10 serving errors Saturday afternoon, earning a 3-1 North Star Athletic Association conference volleyball victory at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans tallied 14 blocks in the match, their fifth straight match that Dakota State recorded double-digit in team blocks.
Dakota State won their second straight match, raising their overall record to 6-3 and 2-0 NSAA conference record. Viterbo, who is the defending league champion and preseason favorite to win this year's conference, lost for the third time in the last four matches. The V-Hawks dipped their overall record to 2-4 and 2-3 NSAA conference record, the most NSAA defeats in a single season for VU since joining the conference in 2015-16.
Dakota State and Viterbo met in the NSAA conference postseason conference tournament's championship match for the past two seasons.
Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Viterbo (Wis.) 1 – FINAL (25-21, 25-23, 9-25, 25-22)
- Dakota State and Viterbo went through a see-saw battle in the first 40 rallies, with the lead no greater than three points by the V-Hawks (11-8).
- Knotted at 20-20, the Trojans sparked a 4-0 scoring run to earn a set point opportunity at 24-20. During the scoring run, Abagail Grabowska smashed a kill (assisted by Nicole Sarringar), followed by an attack error by VU and back-to-back block assist each by Grabowska and Hannah Viet.
- After a kill by V-Hawk Rekha Drevlow, Cassidy Spies recorded a serving error to give Trojans a 25-21 victory and 1-0 match lead.
Viterbo outhit Dakota State 14-8 in the first set. The V-Hawks, however, committed 12 attack errors in 39 swings (.051 hitting percentage). The Trojans hit .179 (3 attack errors in 28 attempts).- The Trojans and V-Hawks went through 14 ties in the first 44 rallies of the second set. Trailing 22-21, Maddie Polzin smashed a kill for the 14th tie of the second set at 22-22.
- DSU continued its scoring run after an attack error by the V-Hawks and a kill by Riley Grandpre for a 24-22 lead. Grace Rohde smashed a kill as the V-Hawks trimmed DSU's lead to 24-23.
- Grandpre and Madalyn Groft each recorded a block assist after an attack error by VU's Rohde to secure the second set by the score of 25-23. The Trojans extended their match lead to 2-0.
- Dakota State had 14 kills in the second set compared to Viterbo 12 kills. The Trojans hit .214 (5 errors in 42 swings) compared to the V-Hawks .125 hitting efficiency (7 errors in 40 swings).
- The Trojans held a 5-3 lead in the third set before the V-Hawks made a monstrous scoring run. Viterbo dominated the third set by closing the set with a 22-4 run, including runs of 8-0 and 11-0. Kenzie Winder smashed a kill to extend the match into the fourth set as Viterbo earned a 25-9 victory.
- Viterbo smashed 15 kills in the third set, while limiting Dakota State to two kills. The V-Hawks hit an impressive .306 (4 errors in 36 swings). The Trojans hit a negative .129 (6 errors in 31 attempts).
There was a total of 13 ties and the lead no greater than two points in the first 36 rallies of the fourth set. Leading at 19-18, Dakota State used a 4-1 scoring run to open a 23-19 lead, thanks to a pair kills by Viet- A kill by VU's Katie Frohmader and a kill by Drevlow cut DSU's lead to 23-21. An attack error committed by the V-Hawks give the Trojans a match point opportunity at 24-21.
- Maya Roberts smashed a kill as the V-Hawks trailed 24-22. Polzin sealed the match for the Trojans with a monstrous kill for a 25-22 win.
- Both teams struggled offensively in the fourth set. The Trojans hit .049 (10 kills with 8 errors in 41 swings) while the V-Hawks hit .021 (12 kills with 11 errors in 47 attempts).
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Polzin led the Trojans' offense with 12 kills. She also had six blocks (1 solo, 5 assist) in the match. Madalyn Groft recorded a double-double of 16 set assists and 12 digs. She had five kills.
- Viet smashed seven kills for DSU. She hit .353. She tallied seven block assists. Abigail Van Ruler collected five block assists. Grabowska registered five block assists.
- Nicole Sarringar contributed 12 set assists and six digs for Dakota State. Peyton Groft led the defense with a season-high 24 digs. She had two service aces. Tayler Corey had 10 digs and a service ace.
- Winker paced the V-Hawks with a double-double of 16 kills and 15 digs. Rohde added 12 kills. Roberts tallied seven kills. Chloe Jakscht produced 24 set assists and collected nine digs. Lauryn Sobasky had a double-double of 19 assists and 10 digs.
- Mariah Calkins had four block assists for Viterbo. Adrianna Reinhart had 20 digs. Jade Putz added 10 digs.
TEAM COMPARISONS
Viterbo outhit Dakota State 53-34 in the match. The V-Hawks recorded a hitting percentage of .117 (34 attack errors in 162 swings) compared to the Trojans' .085 hitting percentage (22 attack errors in 142 attempts).- DSU was 90.4 percent from the service line, recording four service aces and eight errors in 83 serves. VU was 89.1 percent from the serving line with two aces and 10 errors in 92 attempts.
- Dakota State had a solo block and 26 block assists (14 team blocks). Viterbo recorded four team blocks (8 block assists).
- The V-Hawks collected 78 digs compared to the Trojans 64 digs.
UP NEXT
Dakota State continues their five-match North Star Athletic Association conference home stand on Wednesday evening. The Trojans host Bellevue (Neb.) at DSU Fieldhouse. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
Viterbo returns home on Thursday as they host Mayville State (N.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association conference contest. The match is set for 5 p.m. at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium in La Crosse, Wis.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
