October 21, 2022

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) shook off their slow start Friday evening, returning home at DSU Fieldhouse to avenge their early setback with Dickinson State (N.D.) with a 3-0 sweep.  Set scores were 25-23, 25-11, and 25-16.  The Trojans forced the Blue Hawks to 18 attack errors combined in the final two sets of the match.

Dakota State snapped their three-match losing skid and improved to 14-14 overall record.  The Trojans are 4-5 record in the North Star conference contests.  Dickinson State fell to 4-18 overall record and 2-7 NSAA conference record.

Dakota State hosts Valley City State (N.D.) Saturday afternoon in another North Star Athletic Association match.  First serve is set for 2 p.m.  The Trojan volleyball team will honor their six seniors prior to the match at 1:50 p.m.  White-Out will be the theme to the volleyball match, encouraging all fans to wear white color clothing.

Dickinson State stays on the road Saturday as they visit Bellevue (Neb.) with a 12 p.m. first serve at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center in Bellevue, Neb.

Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Dickinson State (N.D.) 0 – FINAL (25-23, 25-11, 25-16)

• Dickinson State raced to a 4-0 opening lead, highlighted by a pair of kills from Brooklyn Wyllie.
• Mackenna Johnson added three more kills as the Blue Hawks stretched its lead to 10-4.
• Trailing 14-7, the Trojans roared with a 12-1 outburst to overtake a 19-15 lead after Vanessa Schroeder's kill.
• The Trojans' scoring run highlighted with a pair of kills from Sydney Schell and Hannah Evans, along with a kill and a service ace from Madalyn Groft.
• Dickinson State answered with a 5-0 scoring run to regain their lead at 20-19, thanks to three attack errors committed by the Trojans.
• Tied at 21-21, DiSU committed an attack error followed by Jenna Frank's service ace gave DaSU a 23-21 lead.
• Hannah Viet recorded a block to secure the first set at 25-23, giving the Trojans a 1-0 match lead.
• A total of four tie scores and three lead changers were registered in the opening set.
• DiSU outhit DaSU 14-13 in the first set.  The Blue Hawks hit .157 (6 errors in 51 swings) compared to the Trojans .070 hitting percentage (9 errors in 57 attempts).
• Holding a slim 12-9 lead in the second set after going through four ties and a lead change, Dakota State exploded with a 9-1 scoring run to balloon their lead to 21-10.  The Trojans took advantage of five attack errors by the Blue Hawks during the scoring surge.
• Dakota State closed the second set with a 4-0 run to secure a 25-11 dominating victory, extending their match lead to 2-0.
• The Trojans hit .263 in the second set with 13 kills and 3 errors in 38 attempts.  The Blue Hawks were held to a negative .100 hitting efficiency with six kills and committed 10 attack errors in 40 attempts.
• Knotted at 8-8, Dakota State went on a 7-0 scoring run to grab a 15-8 lead capped by a kill by M. Groft.  Viet ignited the scoring run with back-to-back kills, while Sophia Vanden Bosch added a kill.
• Madi Wahl smashed a kill as the Blue Hawks cut the Trojans' lead to 18-13, which was the closest that Dickinson State could get.
• Dakota State then went on a 5-0 scoring run to widen their lead to 23-13 in the third set.
• The Trojans secured the third set with a 25-16 victory, winning the match in three straight sets.
• DaSU outhit DiSU 10-8 in the third set.
• Schell led the Trojans' offense attack with 11 kills.  Viet added seven kills and five blocks.  M. Groft tallied five kills.  She posted a double-double of 13 set assists and 18 digs.  She had three blocks and an ace.  Vanden Bosch and Evans each had four kills.
• Maddi Langerock contributed a double-double of 14 set assists and 12 digs for DaSU.  She had a service ace.  Schroeder had three kills and three blocks.  Frank recorded a service ace.
• Peyton Groft collected a match-high 24 digs for Dakota State.  She had four set assists.  VonnaGail Schlechter added 11 digs.  Macy Wetsch tallied six digs.
• Johnson led the Blue Hawks with 11 kills.  She added eight digs.  Wyllie had seven kills and four blocks.  McKenzie Moser recorded four kills and 15 digs.
• Bailey Pearcy produced a double-double of 23 set assists and 11 digs for Dickinson State.  Jenna Swope led the defense with 20 digs.  Haydein Henschel had 12 digs.
• Dakota State outhit Dickinson State 36-28 in the match.  The Trojans hit .131 (18 errors in 137 swings) and held the Blue Hawks to .028 hitting percentage (24 errors in 141 attempts).
• DaSU was 97.3 percent from the serving line with three aces and two errors in 74 serves.  DiSU committed seven service errors in 51 attempts and an ace, recording an 86.3 percent from the serving line.
• Dakota State collected 82 digs compared to Dickinson State 74 digs.  The Trojans had nine blocks while the Blue Hawks registered 5.5 blocks.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director