October 13, 2021

Photos credit by Donald Weidler

MADISON, S.D. – NAIA's No. 8-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) was plagued with 43 attack errors and seven service errors, as Dakota State (S.D.) posted its second victory over Top 25 teams Wednesday evening in a five-set North Star Athletic Association volleyball thriller at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans won by the set scores of 23-25, 25-20, 25-16, 17-25, and 15-8. 

Dakota State, who received votes recognition in the new edition of the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll earlier Wednesday morning, lifted their overall record to 13-5 and 5-3 NSAA conference record.  Bellevue fell to 16-4 overall record and 7-2 record.

Wednesday's match was the start of the second half portion of the North Star Athletic Association schedule.  It was the first win for DSU in the series meeting over BU since Nov. 15, 2019 (NSAA postseason tournament's semifinals in Watertown, S.D.).

It was the first time since Nov. 3, 2018, that Dakota State defeated an NAIA's Top 10 team at DSU Fieldhouse (No. 7 Viterbo, Wis., where the Trojans ended the V-Hawks' historic 53-match North Star winning streak).

DSU concludes their season-long four-match home stand at DSU Fieldhouse Tuesday evening, hosting in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) in a non-conference volleyball match.  The annual Dig Pink event kicks off with the junior varsity match at 6 p.m., followed by the varsity match at 7:30 p.m.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 3, (8) Bellevue (Neb.) 2 – FINAL

• Bellevue jumped to a 6-1 lead in the opening set with the help with a kill by three different hitters – Eve Fountain, Peyton Schendt, and Sierra Athen.
• Trailing 22-16, the Trojans mounted a furious comeback by scoring six straight points to knot the first set at 22-22 after a kill by Sydney Schell.
• Olivia Galas and Athen followed up with back-to-back kills to set up set point opportunity at 24-22 for the Bruins.  Madalyn Groft smashed a kill as the Trojans trailed 24-23.
• Fountain closed the first set with a kill for a 1-0 match lead after a slim 25-23 victory.  The Bruins outhit the Trojans 19-9 in the first set.
• An attack error by Bellevue gave Dakota State a 16-10 lead in the second set.  BU then answered by scoring six straight points to tie up at 16-16 after a block assist by Galas and Haley Fleischman.
• After a pair of ties, the Trojans roared by scoring the final five points to secure a 25-20 set two victory and knotted the match at 1-1.  DSU earned a kill by three different hitters during the strong closing run (Hannah Viet, Brooklyn Grage, and Schell).
• DSU hit .125 in the second set (11 kills with 6 errors in 40 swings) and held BU to negative .047 hitting percentage (10 kills with 12 errors in 43 attempts).
• Leading 16-11 in the third set, the Trojans went on a 6-2 scoring tear to balloon their lead to 23-14 after a kill by Schell.
• Viet smashed a kill to give Trojans a 2-1 match lead after cruising to a 25-16 set three victory. 
• Dakota State hit .231 in the third set (15 kills with 6 errors in 39 attempts) and held Bellevue to a minus hitting percentage for the second straight set.  The Bruins hit -.083 with 6 errors and committed 9 attack errors in 36 swings.
• Holding a slim 5-4 lead in the fourth set, Bellevue went on an 8-2 scoring tear to widen their lead after a block assist by Fleischman and Athen.
• The Bruins never trailed for the rest of the fourth set as Sienna Black secured a kill to force the fifth and deciding set after a 25-17 victory. 
• Bellevue outhit Dakota State 17-7 in the fourth set.  The Bruins hit .208 (8 errors in 44 swings) and held the Trojans to .050 hitting percentage.
• At 4-3, Dakota State scored four straight points to open an 8-3 lead thanks to BU's five consecutive miscues.
• BU's Jacki Apel smashed a kill to cut DSU's lead to 11-8 in the deciding set.
• Dakota State closed the match by scoring the final four points, including back-to-back kills by Schell to seal the match at 15-8.
• BU outhit DSU 7-6, but the Bruins committed five attack errors in 20 swings (.100 hitting percentage).  the Trojans hit an impressive .385 in the fifth set, committing just one attack error in 15 attempts.
• Maddie Polzin paced DSU's offense attack with 15 kills.  She also had three service aces and five blocks.  Schell fueled with a double-double of 14 kills and 13 digs.  She registered four blocks.
• Viet smashed nine kills and collected eight blocks for Dakota State.  M. Groft contributed 25 set assists and nine digs.  Nicole Sarringar posted a double-double of 12 set assists and 12 digs.  Jenna Frank had a service ace. 
• Peyton Groft tallied 19 digs for the Trojans' defense.  Riley Grandpre recorded eight blocks (tied career high).  Grage also had four blocks.  VonnaGail Schlechter collected 11 digs. 
• Fountain led the Bruins' offense with 19 kills and hit .302.  She produced a double-double with 20 digs.  Athen also had a double-double of 12 kills and tallied 11 digs.  Black had eight kills.
• Galas had a double-double of 52 set assists and 14 kills for Bellevue.  She had four kills and three blocks. 
• Taylan Keefer tallied a match-high 37 digs for BU.
• Bellevue outhit Dakota State 59-46 in the match.  The Trojans hit .143 with 22 attack errors in 168 swings.  The Bruins were limited to .083 hitting percentage (43 attack errors in 193 attempts).
• BU recorded a 92.6 service percentage with seven errors in 94 serves.  DSU hit 92.4 percent successful rate in serving with four service aces and eight errors in 105 attempts.
• Dakota State accumulated a season-high 16 blocks in the match (2 solo, 28 assist).  Bellevue had eight blocks (1 solo, 14 assist).
• The Bruins had 96 digs compared to the Trojans 75 digs.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director