August 20, 2022
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Dakota State (S.D.) bounced back in the winning column in the final match of the Chick-Fil-A Classic, hosted by Keiser (Fla.) at Countess de Hoernle Student Life Center, Saturday afternoon by sweeping Georgetown (Ky.) in three straight sets. Sets scores were 25-9, 25-19, and 25-12.
Dakota State, receiving votes in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 national poll, finished the tournament with a 3-1 record. Georgetown, a member of the Mid-South Conference, remained winless in three matches before their final match with Doane (Neb.) this evening.
The victory also gave head coach Amy Veenhof its' 200th win in Dakota State University volleyball program history. She had accumulated 214 career coaching wins.
The Trojans return to the Midwest region where they will stay on the road next Saturday. DSU travels to Crete, Neb. to play in the Doane (Neb.) triangular. DSU plays the host team at 10 a.m., followed by another match with MidAmerican Nazarene (Kan.) at 12 p.m. Both matches will be held at George and Sally Haddix Recreation and Athletic Center.
(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Georgetown (Ky.) 0 – FINAL (25-9, 25-19, 25-12)
- Tied at 3-3 in the opening set, Dakota State went on a 6-0 scoring tear for a 9-3 lead. Back-to-back kills by Hannah Viet and a service ace by Macy Wetsch highlighted DSU's scoring run.
- Leading 9-4, the Trojans mounted another scoring surge by outscoring the Tigers 8-1. An attack error by Georgetown gave DSU a commanding 17-5 lead.
- DSU secured the first set at 25-9 after a kill by Madalyn Groft, giving the Trojans a 1-0 match lead.
- Dakota State hit an impressive .333 in the opening set with 13 kills and 3 errors in 30 swings. Georgetown was held to minus .128 hitting percentage (4 kills with 9 errors in 39 attempts).
- A block by M. Groft and Viet gave DSU a 5-1 opening lead in the second set.
- With DSU leading 11-6, the Tigers went on a 9-2 scoring run to earn a 15-13 lead after Hayle Tillman's kill.
- Dakota State answered with a 5-0 run to regain their lead to 18-16. Georgetown rallied back to tie the second set at 18-18.
- The Trojans went on a 7-1 closing run – thanks to Georgetown's five attack errors during the run – to extend their match lead to 2-0 after winning 25-19 in the second set.
- DSU hit .135 in the second set (10 kills with 5 errors in 37 attempts) while GC registered a hitting efficiency of .098 (13 kills with 9 errors in 41 attempts).
- The Trojans only trailed once in the third set at 1-0. The Trojans went on a 4-0 run for a 4-1 lead and never looked back to secure the victory.
- GC could get no closer than one point at 6-5 as DSU went on a 10-3 scoring run to stretch their lead to 16-8.
- Dakota State closed the match with a service ace by Hannah Viet, followed by back-to-back kills by Sydney Schell for a 25-12 set three win.
- DSU outhit GC 12-8 in the third set. The Trojans registered a hitting percentage of .273 (12 kills with 3 errors in 33 swings) and held the Tigers to .033 hitting efficiency (8 kills with 7 errors in 30 attempts).
- Schell paced the Trojans with 11 kills, six digs, and three blocks. She hit .458 in the match. M. Groft added 16 set assists, nine digs, and seven kills. She also had two blocks.
- Riley Grandpre and Viet each had six kills for DSU. Viet had six blocks and two service aces. Maddi Langerock produced nine set assists and three service aces. She had eight digs.
- VonnaGail Schlechter recorded seven digs for the Trojans. Wetsch had six digs and two services. Peyton Groft tallied five digs.
- Hunter Keller led the Tigers with nine kills and hit .412. Tillman, Walker, Olivia Recktenwald and Olivia Mitchell each had three kills.
- Kayla Mantell had a double-double of 10 set assists and 12 digs for Georgetown. Karly McNeil collected 10 digs. Ivona Zarin registered eight set assists and nine digs.
- Dakota State outhit Georgetown 35-25 in the match. The Trojans hit .240 (11 errors in 100 swings) as the Tigers were held to .000 hitting percentage (25 attack errors in 110 attempts).
- DSU amassed seven service aces in the match compared to GC one ace. Both teams collected 49 digs.
- Dakota State tallied eight blocks compared to Georgetown three blocks.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director