October 8, 2021

Photos credit by Donald Weidler

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) played their fourth match in a span of six days Friday evening, hosting Waldorf (Iowa) in the North Star Athletic Association volleyball action at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans wrapped up their first half portion of the conference schedule with a four-set victory over the Warriors.

Set scores were 25-8, 23-25, 25-16, and 26-24.  DSU earned their sixth straight victory in the series meeting with WU.

Dakota State improved their overall record to 12-5 and 4-3 record in North Star contests.  Waldorf fell to 7-9 overall record and winless in six NSAA conference matches (0-6 NSAA record).

The Trojans continue their home stand Wednesday evening as they begin their second half portion of the conference schedule.  DSU hosts nationally ranked No. 8 Bellevue (Neb.).  First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Waldorf travels to Bellevue for another NSAA match-up Saturday afternoon at 12:30 p.m., held at Gordon Lozier Center.

Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Waldorf (Iowa) 1 – FINAL (25-8, 23-25, 25-16, 26-24)

• Leading 4-3 in the opening set, the Trojans used four different hitters – Taryn Tacheny, Riley Grandpre, Sydney Schell, and Maddie Polzin – during their monstrous 9-0 scoring surge to balloon their lead to 13-3.
• Dakota State closed the first set with a 12-4, cruising past Waldorf 25-8 for a 1-0 match lead.
• DSU hit an impressive .500 in the first set, committing just one attack error in 22 swings.  The Trojans smashed 12 kills.  The Warriors had seven kills and suffered 10 attack errors in 30 attempts for a minus .100 hitting efficiency.
• A service ace by Kenzie Kidd opened a 9-4 lead for the Warriors in the second set.  The Trojans trimmed WU's lead at 12-10 after an attack error committed by Waldorf.
• Trailing 23-20, DSU's Hannah Viet and Tacheny each smashed a kill followed by an attack error by the Warriors to tie the second set at 23-23.
• Kidd smashed a kill to set up a set point opportunity for WU at 24-23.  The Warriors evened the match with an attack error by the Trojans, earning a slim 25-23 victory.
• Waldorf outhit Dakota State 18-12 in the second set.  The Warriors hit .200 (7 errors in 55 swings) compared to the Trojans .167 hitting percentage (3 errors in 54 attempts).
• The Warriors started the third set with a quick 4-1 lead before the Trojans rallied to tie at 5-5 after a kill by Polzin.
• Knotted at 8-8, DSU went on to score three straight points to gain an 11-8 lead thanks to back-to-back blocks by Viet and Schell.  The Warriors were forced to burn their first timeout of the third set.
• At 16-15, Dakota State used a 7-0 outburst to widen their lead to 23-15. 
• Polzin closed the third set with a kill followed by a service ace for a 25-16 victory, regaining a 2-1 match lead for the Trojans.
• The Trojans had 11 kills with six errors in 37 swings (.135 hitting percentage) in the third set.  The Warriors were held to negative .029 hitting percentage with nine kills and committed 10 attack error sin 35 attempts.
• Waldorf raced to a 5-0 lead to start the fourth set, capped by three different hitters with a kill each (Abygail Wood, Zoee Pond and Alisha Schaefer).
• After WU extended their lead to 10-4, the Trojans scored four straight points to cut their lead to 10-8 after a service ace by Polzin.
• Down 22-19, Brooklyn Grage tallied two kills while Madalyn Groft added a kill during DSU's 3-0 run to knot the fourth set at 22-22.
• Wood and Kidd smashed back-to-back kills to set up their set point opportunity to force the fifth and deciding set.
• The Trojans saved two set point chances as Viet smashed a kill followed by an attack error by the Warriors to tie at 24-24.
• DSU closed the match with a 4-0 scoring run as the Warriors committed three straight attack errors.  The Trojans won the fourth set with a 26-24 thriller and earned a 3-1 match victory.
• Waldorf outhit Dakota State 18-12 in the fourth set.
• Polzin led the Trojans' offense with 15 kills and hit .325 in the match.  She also had two service aces and two blocks.  Viet added eight kills and tallied eight blocks. 
• M. Groft contributed a double-double of 24 set assists and 13 digs for Dakota State.  She had five kills, two blocks, and two service aces.  Nicole Sarringar added 11 set assists.
• Schell tallied a team-high 24 digs for DSU.  She also had six kills and five blocks.  Tacheny recorded four kills and three blocks.  Grandpre collected five blocks and smashed four kills.
• Kidd led the Warriors with a double-double of 14 kills and 11 digs.  Wood tallied 13 kills.  Schaefer registered 10 kills.  Pond had nine kills.
• Kaitlyn Bakke posted a double-double of 46 set assists and 15 digs for WU. 
• Kaylee Kidd had a match-high 31 digs for WU.  Charlotte Wright added six kills. 
• Waldorf had 52 kills in the match compared to Dakota State 47 kills. 
• The Warriors committed 36 attack errors in 170 swings for a hitting efficiency of .094.  The Trojans hit .211 in the match with 15 attack errors in 152 attempts.
• DSU was 96.9 percent from the serving line with five aces and three errors in 98 serves.  WU recorded a service percentage of 89.2 percent with two aces and eight errors in 74 attempts.
• Dakota State collected 14 blocks (2 solo, 24 assists).  Waldorf had two blocks (4 block assists).

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director