September 3, 2022

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – After facing three consecutive NAIA's Top 25 teams in the College of Saint Mary (Neb.) Labor Day Classic at Untied Sports Academy, Dakota State (S.D.) erased a 2-0 deficit after a pair of closely tight sets, rallying back for a 3-2 thriller over Hastings (Neb.) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  The Trojans won a pair of 25-18 in sets three and four and held off the Broncos with a thrilling 20-18 fifth set.

It was the second straight year in the same tournament that DSU rallied back from 2-0 deficit and defeat Hastings.  DSU, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, snapped their four-match losing skid to even their overall record to 5-5.  Hastings fell to 8-3 overall record.

Dakota State concludes their preseason tournament with another four-match slate next weekend, traveling to La Crosse, Wis., for the Viterbo (Wis.) tournament.  The Trojans face Rocky Mountain (Mont.) and Rochester (Mich.) Friday, followed by another pair of matches versus No. 18 Taylor (Ind.) and Bethel (Ind.).

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Hastings (Neb.) 2 – FINAL (23-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 20-18)

• Dakota State and Hastings went through eight ties in the opening set.  Knotted at 23-23, the Broncos took advantage of back-to-back miscues by the Trojans and earned a 1-0 match lead after a 25-23 win.
• HC outhit DSU 15-13 in the first set.  The Broncos hit .200 (6 errors in 45 swings) compared to the Trojans .122 hitting percentage (8 errors in 41 attempts).
• The second set was almost like the first set where both teams went through a see-saw battle.  Knotted at 23-23, Hastings scored the final two points and wrapped up a 2-0 match lead after an attack error by DSU for 25-23 victory.
• The Broncos smashed 15 kills and held the Trojans to seven hits in the second set.
• Dakota State raced to a 9-2 lead in the third set, sparked by back-to-back service aces from Maddi Langerock and three kills from Brooklyn Grage.
• Hastings trimmed DSU's lead to 13-9 in the third set.  The Trojans then went on a 9-3 scoring run to grab a double-digit lead at 22-12 after Sydney Schell's kill.
• The Broncos scored the next six points to cut DSU's lead to 22-18 in the third set.
• Dakota State extended the match into the fourth set after a kill by Schell followed by Grage's back-to-back kills for a 25-18 victory.
• DSU hit .212 in the third set (11 kills with 4 errors in 33 attempts) compared to HC .167 hitting percentage (13 kills with 7 errors in 36 swings).
• The Trojans used another fast start in the fourth set, sprinting to a 9-3 lead thanks to a kill from four different hitters – Grage, Hannah Viet, Schell, and Vanessa Schroeder – and a service ace by Jenna Frank.
• Hastings rallied back with a 7-1 scoring run to trim DSU's lead to 11-10 with a kill by Amani Monroe in the fourth set.
• Tied at 12-12, Dakota State used a 6-1 run to widen their lead to 18-13 after Madalyn Groft's kill in the fourth. 
• The Trojans never trailed for the rest of the set, forcing the fifth and deciding set.  A pair of miscues on the final two points by the Broncos allowed DSU to win the fourth set at 25-18.
• Dakota State hit an impressive .414 in the fourth set (16 kills with 4 errors in 29 attempts).  Hastings hit .233 (12 kills with 5 errors in 30 swings).
• DSU kicked off the fifth set with a 3-2 lead after Viet's kill.  The Broncos used a 6-0 scoring run to grab an 8-3 lead.
• Trailing 9-4, the Trojans stormed back with a 7-2 scoring surge to even the deciding set at 11-11 capped by Grage's kill.
• Both teams went back-and-forth with DSU holding a match point opportunity at 14-13.  The Broncos saved the match point and tied the fifth set at 14-14.
• Dakota State could not convert another match point opportunity as Hastings scored the next two points to set up a match point chance at 16-15.
• After DSU's timeout, Hastings committed a service error as the Trojans saved a match point to tie at 16-16. 
• Hastings led 17-16, followed by Dakota State tying up at 17-17 after Grage's kill.  Peyton Roper smashed a kill to put HC up at 18-17.
• An attack error by the Broncos allowed the Trojans to tie the fifth set at 18-18.
• Langerock hit a service ace to put DSU up at 19-18, setting up their third match point opportunity.
• M. Groft smashed a kill to secure a thrilling come-from-behind victory over the Broncos at 20-18.
• The Broncos outhit the Trojans 13-11 in the deciding set.
• Schell paced Dakota State with a double-double of 19 kills and 13 digs.  Viet added 15 kills and hit an astounding .517 in the match.  Grage tallied 14 kills.
• Both DSU's setters produced a double-double, with M. Groft gathering 20 set assists and 11 digs while Langerock had 19 assists and 18 digs.  Langerock recorded three service aces.
• Peyton Groft led the Trojans' defense with 19 digs.  Schroeder collected six blocks, while Viet added five blocks.  Grandpre had four blocks.
• Majesta Valasek led the Broncos with a double-double of 16 kills and 12 digs.  Marlee Taylor added 19 kills and hit .341.  Roper and Monroe each smashed 11 kills.
• Lauren Dirks posted a double-double of 55 set assists and 10 digs for Hastings.  Miriam Miller led the defense with 28 digs.  CJ Harr added 10 digs.  Rachel Hefta had four blocks.
• Hastings outhit Dakota State 68-58 in the match.  The Trojans hit .203 (23 errors in 172 attempts) and held the Broncos to .194 hitting percentage (31 attack errors in 191 swings).
• Both teams collected 81 digs.  DSU had 11 blocks compared to HC six blocks. 
• Dakota State tallied nine service aces, while Hastings had five aces. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director