September 15, 2022

PHOTO GALLERY:  Junior Varsity - Varsity - Photos credits by Cody Welu, Donald Weidler

MADISON, S.D. – (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) used a monstrous .429 hitting percentage in the opening set Thursday evening, bouncing back in the winning column with a 3-0 sweep over Morningside (Iowa) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans outhit the Mustangs 43-28 in the match and forced MC to 23 attack errors.

Dakota State, which fell to No. 15 ranked Bellevue (Neb.) in the season home opener Wednesday evening, improved their overall record to 8-8.  Morningside dropped their overall record to 4-11.

DSU's junior varsity team also defeated Morningside's junior varsity team 2-1.  The Trojans won the first two sets (25-17 and 25-22) before the Mustangs took the third set at 25-22, earning their first home win as well.

The Trojans stay home next week as they continue their five-match home stand.  DSU returns to North Star Athletic Association action Wednesday as they host Presentation (S.D.).  The junior varsity match is set for 4 p.m., followed by the varsity match at 6 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Morningside (Iowa) – 3 – FINAL (25-16, 25-20, 25-13)

• Dakota State roared to a 4-0 opening lead, sparked by Hannah Viet's kill followed by back-to-back kills by Brooklyn Grage and a service ace by Jenna Frank.
• Morningside could get no closer than two points at 7-5 after Payten Lodes' kill. 
• Leading 13-9, the Trojans went on a 6-1 scoring tear to widen their lead to 19-10.
• The Trojans won the first set at 25-16.  DSU outhit MC 19-11 in the opening set, highlighted by eight kills and .571 hitting percentage from Sydney Schell.  Viet also added six kills and hit an astounding .857 in the opening set.
• Dakota State used another fast start in the second set, sprinting to a 4-0 lead.  Viet kicked off the second set with a kill, while Madalyn Groft added a service ace followed by back-to-back attack errors by the Mustangs.
• Schell smashed back-to-back kills to widen DSU's lead to 17-10 in the second set.
• With DSU leading 24-15, Morningside saved five set point opportunities to cut DSU's lead to 24-20 after a block by Gaby Wilson and Sydney Marlow.
• Grage smashed a kill to secure the second set at 25-20, extending Dakota State's match lead to 2-0.
• The Trojans hit .189 in the second set (15 kills with 8 errors in 37 swings) and held the Mustangs to .054 hitting percentage (9 kills and 7 errors in 37 attempts).
• Dakota State and Morningside went through four ties in the first 10 rallies of the third set.
• Tied at 8-8, the Trojans went on an 11-1 monstrous scoring surge to grab a 19-9 commanding lead. 
• DSU never trailed for the rest of the third set, taking advantage of Morningside's 12 attack errors for 25-13 victory and secured a three-set match sweep.
• Dakota State hit .250 in the third set (9 kills with 2 errors in 28 swings).  Morningside was held to negative .111 hitting percentage (8 kills with 12 errors in 36 attempts).
• Schell fueled the Trojans offense attack with 16 kills and hit a career-high .533.  She had nine digs.  Viet added 10 kills and hit an impressive .562.  Grage tallied eight kills.
• M. Groft produced a double-double of 16 set assists and 10 digs for Dakota State.  She also had four kills and two service aces.  Maddi Langerock added 15 set assists and six digs.
• Peyton Groft collected 20 digs to lead Dakota State's defense.  VonnaGail Schlechter registered eight digs.
• M. Groft, Vanessa Schroeder, Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri, and Grage each had one block for DSU.
• Lode and Sydney Marlow each had seven kills for the Mustangs.  Claire Wilson added six kills.
• Gillian DePauw recorded 18 set assists and two service aces for MC.  Bridget Smith added seven assists.
• Aureana Bernales earned a match-high 22 digs for Morningside.  Marlow added nine digs.  Wilson had two blocks.
• Dakota State hit .299 in the match (43 kills with 11 errors in 107 swings) and held Morningside to .043 hitting percentage (28 kills with 23 attack errors in 115 attempts).
• DSU was 95.9 percent from the serving line with five aces and three errors in 74 serves.  MC was 94.0 service percentage, producing two aces and three errors in 50 serves.
• Both teams had three blocks in the match.  The Trojans registered 61 digs compared to the Mustangs 51 digs.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director