September 3, 2022

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) faced their third NAIA"s nationally ranked team from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) on the second day of the College of Saint Mary (Neb.) Labor Day Classic Saturday morning at United Sports Academy.  After the match was tied at 1-1, No. 10 Concordia (Neb.) held off Dakota State (S.D.) in four sets by the scores of 25-18, 19-25, 25-22, and 25-11.

DSU, receiving votes in the NAIA's Top 25 national poll, fell to 4-5 overall record.  Concordia remained undefeated with an overall record of 9-0.

The Trojans look to end their losing skid as they wrap up the tournament versus another GPAC opponent, Hastings (Neb.) at 5 p.m.

(10) Concordia (Neb.) 3, Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL (25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 25-11)

• After DSU took a 5-4 lead in the opening set, Concordia reeled off six straight points capped by a service ace by Kennedy VanScoy for a 10-5 lead.
• Dakota State could get no closer than four points at 13-9 after Hannah Viet's kill and 14-10 after Brooklyn Grage's kill.
• The Bulldogs never trailed for the rest of the second set, prevailing for a 25-18 victory and 1-0 match lead.
• CUNE hit .424 in the opening set (15 kills with 1 error in 33 swings) compared to DSU .303 hitting efficiency (13 kills with 3 errors in 33 attempts).
• Sydney Schell smashed a kill to give DSU a 6-2 lead.  The Bulldogs went on a 10-2 scoring surge to overtake a 12-8 lead.
• Trailing 13-9, Grage's three kills sparked DSU's 5-0 scoring tear to regain their lead at 14-13.
• At 18-16, Dakota State went on a 4-0 scoring run to widen their lead to 22-16 after a block by Riley Grandpre and Vanessa Schroeder for 22-16 lead.
• Dakota State led 24-17 in the second set while Concordia saved two set points opportunities, trimming their lead to 24-19.
• Grage secured the second set with a kill, giving Dakota State a 25-19 victory and tied the match at 1-1.
• DSU took advantage of 10 CUNE's attack errors in the second set, holding them to .049 hitting percentage (12 kills with 10 errors in 41 swings).  The Trojans hit. 233 with 10 kills and 3 errors in 30 attempts.
• Dakota State and Concordia went through a see-saw battle in the third set, with the lead no greater than four points. 
• Gabi Nordaker smashed a kill to give CUNE a 25-22 set three victory, earning a 2-1 match lead.
• Concordia poured in 21 kills in the third set and hit .475 (2 errors in 40 attempts).  Dakota State recorded a .367 hitting percentage (13 kills with 2 errors in 30 attempts).
• Holding a slim 6-5 lead in the fourth set, CUNE went on a 15-2 scoring outburst as they vaulted their lead to 21-7. 
• A block by Kalee Wiltfong and Carly Rodaway secured the fourth set for Concordia at 25-11, winning 3-1 in the match.
• Concordia outhit Dakota State 18-5 in the fourth set.  The Bulldogs hit .484 (3 errors in 31 swings).  The Trojans hit .103 (2 errors in 29 attempts). 
• Grage led the Trojans' offense attack with 14 kills and hit .343.  Viet added 10 kills and registered a hitting percentage of .455.  Schell tallied 10 kills and six digs.
• Maddi Langerrock posted a double-double of 34 set assists and 12 digs for DSU.  Peyton Groft collected 15 digs and three set assists.  VonnaGail Schlechter added 11 digs and a service ace.  Sophia Vanden Bosch, Jenna Frank, and Macy Wetsch each registered a service ace.
• Five CUNE hitters produced double-digit kills, led by Ashley Keck with 16 kills and hit .500.  Camryn Opfer had a double-double of 14 kills and 15 digs.  Nordaker and Wiltfong each had 12 kills.  Roadway had 11 kills.
• Bree Burtwistle contributed a match-high 55 set assists for Concordia.  She added a double-double with 10 digs.  Rebecca Gebhardt had 19 digs. 
• The Bulldogs outhit the Trojans 66-41 in the match.  CUNE hit .345 (16 errors in 145 swings) compared to the Trojans .254 hitting percentage (10 errors in 122 attempts).

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director