November 2, 2023
This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Nov. 2, 2023)—The Dakota State University Trojan volleyball team (14-14 overall record, 5-6 North Star record) wraps up their 2023 regular-season schedule Saturday as they play their final home match at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans welcome Mayville State (N.D.) (15-8 overall record, 6-4 NSAA conference record) in the final regular-season match.
The Trojan junior varsity team returns to action Saturday morning for the first time since Oct. 17 after their 2-0 victory at Mount Marty (S.D.). First serve for the junior varsity match is set for 10:30 a.m., where they will play three sets. The varsity match is slated for 12:30 p.m. first serve.
Dakota State will be honoring their two seniors on Saturday before the varsity match. They are
Madalyn Groft and
Angela Guthmiller.
The Trojans split their two final road contests in North Dakota last weekend. DSU fell to (RV) Valley City State (N.D.) in three straight sets on Oct. 27. Dakota State survived a five-set thriller at Dickinson State (N.D.) on Oct. 28.
Mayville State also split their two North Star conference matches in their home schedule finale. The Comets fell short to the North Star's conference leader and nationally-ranked No. 5 Viterbo (Wis.) in a five-set thriller on Oct. 28. MSU closed out their home schedule with a 3-0 sweep over Waldorf (Iowa).
Mayville State is slated to visit No. 20 ranked Bellevue (Neb.) Friday afternoon before coming to Madison.
Next Up: Top six teams in the North Star Athletic Association standings will play in the postseason conference tournament on Nov. 9-11 at Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D.
This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) had won three straight home meetings with Mayville State (N.D.), including a 3-0 sweep at DSU Fieldhouse on Sept. 22, 2022.
+ The Comets won the previous two meetings with the Trojans, with both matches being held at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse. Both matches went to five sets.
+ Dakota State had secured a home court winning record for the sixth consecutive season. The Trojans claimed the home court winning record after their 3-1 victory over then No. 15 ranked Bellevue (Neb.) on Oct. 10 at DSU Fieldhouse.
+ The Trojan junior varsity team closes out their 2023 schedule on Saturday morning versus Mayville State. Dakota State's junior varsity squad is seeking for their 10th win of the season (9-5 overall record).
+ Five North Star Athletic Association members had secured a spot to the conference postseason tournament next week in Watertown, S.D. The final and sixth spot will be determined after Saturday's match between Dickinson State (N.D.) and Waldorf (Iowa) in Forest City, Iowa.
+ Dakota State registered double digits victories for the tenth straight season. The Trojans' most victories during that span was 21 wins three times in 2014, 2018, and 2021.
Dakota State to honor two seniors on Saturday
Madison, S.D. (Nov. 2, 2023)—The Dakota State University Trojan volleyball squad will be honoring their two seniors in their final home regular-season contest versus Mayville State (N.D.) Saturday at DSU Fieldhouse.
The two Trojan seniors are
Angela Guthmiller and
Madalyn Groft.
Guthmiller joined the DSU volleyball team this fall and played primarily on the junior varsity match. She is also a member on the Trojan volleyball varsity team.
Groft is a four-year member of DSU volleyball team since 2020-21 (COVID year), which helped the Trojans to a national tournament trip in 2021 (fall). Prior to Saturday's match, she produced 694 kills, 2,386 set assists, 585 digs, 83 service aces, and 155 blocks during her career at Dakota State.
Groft is ranked fifth in the Trojan volleyball school record in all-time assists. Rachel Johnson holds the fourth all-time with 2,515 set assists. Stacey Westby holds the career record of 3,804 set assists from 2011-15.
(RV) Vikings sweep season series over Trojans
Valley City, N.D. (Oct. 27, 2023)—(RV) Valley City State (N.D.) smashed 50 kills to propel to a 3-0 North Star Athletic Association sweep over Dakota State (S.D.) at Graichen Gymnasium. The Vikings completed the NSAA season series sweep over the Trojans.
Valley City State opened the first set with an 11-4 lead. Despite being behind 20-12, Dakota State stormed back with a 9-2 scoring run to trim VCSU's lead to 22-21. The Vikings secured the first set with a 25-22 victory and 1-0 match lead. DSU and VCSU went through eight ties in the second set. With the Vikings leading 11-10, they went on a 9-2 scoring tear and later extended their match lead to 2-0 after a 25-16 victory. Valley City State raced to a 13-2 lead in the third set and cruised to a 25-12 victory to seal a 3-0 sweep over DSU.
Sydney Schell posted a double-double of 10 kills and 14 digs for Dakota State. She had three blocks.
Hannah Evans added six kills and six blocks.
Madalyn Groft tallied 10 digs, seven set assists, and five kills. She also had two blocks.
Maddi Langerock contributed a double-double of 22 set assists and 14 digs.
Kate VanRooyan led the defense with 22 digs.
Valley City State had 15 more kills than Dakota State (35 kills). The Vikings hit .257 with 13 attack errors in 144 swings) compared to the Trojans .158 hitting percentage (13 attack errors in 139 attempts). VCSU registered six service aces to DSU one ace. The Trojans had seven blocks to the Vikings five blocks.
Dakota State survives five-set thriller in Dickinson
Dickinson, N.D. (Oct. 28, 2023)—Dakota State (S.D.) trailed 2-1 to Dickinson State (N.D.) in the final North Star Athletic Association road contest at Scott Gymnasium. The Trojans held the Blue Hawks to 13 total kills in the final two sets, surviving a five-set thriller.
DSU outhit DiSU 16-9 in the first set, propelling to a 25-14 victory. The Trojans hit an impressive .424 by committing just two attack errors, while the Blue Hawks were limited to .077 hitting efficiency. Dickinson State won the next two sets at 25-19 and 25-21 to overtake a 2-1 match lead over the Trojans. DSU came back to win the fourth set with a 25-17 and put together an offensive explosion in the deciding set for a 15-9 victory, thanks to their .435 hitting percentage.
Madalyn Groft had a triple-double of 12 kills, 13 set assists, and 18 digs for DSU.
Maddi Langerock produced 35 set assists and eight digs.
Brooklyn Grage smashed 18 kills and collected three blocks.
Sydney Schell had a double-double of 16 kills and 18 digs.
Kate VanRooyan had 27 digs.
Dakota State smashed 65 kills to Dickinson State 54 kills. DSU had seven blocks to DiSU six blocks.
Trojans in the North Star conference ranks
Madison, S.D. (Nov. 2, 2023)—According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Thursday,
Kate VanRooyan leads the North Star Athletic Association overall with 536 digs. She is also second in the league with 5.15 digs per set for Dakota State.
Sydney Schell is third in both total kills with 348 kills and kills per set with 3.59 kills per set for the Trojans. She is third in the conference with 3.15 kills per set in 11 NSAA contests.
Brooklyn Grage is seventh overall in the North Star with .229 hitting percentage.
Dakota State leads the North Star Athletic Association in overall digs with 1,932 digs. The Trojans are third with 18.58 digs per set as a team. DSU ties with Bellevue (Neb.) for most digs per set with 18.73 digs per set in 11 North Star contests. The Trojans leads the league with 768 digs.
DSU produces the third most blocks in the NSAA with 211 total blocks. Trojan
Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri ranks third in the North Star conference with 1.01 blocks per set.
2023 DSU Trojan Volleyball Team Leaders
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