August 29, 2023
This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Aug. 29, 2023)—Dakota State (S.D.) (3-2 overall record) continues their challenging non-conference schedule with five matches slated for this week, with three opponents from the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
The Trojans conclude their three-match home stand Tuesday evening as they welcome their rival nationally-ranked No. 13 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) (4-4 overall record) in the White-Out Theme at DSU Fieldhouse. The junior varsity team will be playing their first home match on the same night at 5 p.m., followed by the varsity match at 7 p.m.
DSU heads to the United Sports Academy (300 Centennial Drive Suite 170) in North Sioux City, Neb. for a four-match tournament schedule. Dakota State opens their tournament play Friday morning with a rematch with Dordt (Iowa) (0-2 overall record) at 10 a.m., followed by the second match at 2 p.m. versus Bethel (Kan.) (3-4) of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. On Saturday, DSU takes on NAIA's Preseason and defending national champion Jamestown (N.D.) (3-4 overall record) at 9 a.m. and finishes the tournament at 3 p.m. versus Mount Mercy (Iowa) (6-0 overall record) of the Heath of America Conference.
Dakota State went 2-1 record against GPAC foes last week, falling short at Morningside (Iowa) in five-set thriller on Aug. 23, followed by a 2-0 home record on Aug. 26 against Dordt and Mount Marty (S.D.) in the NSAA/GPAC Crossover Tournament. Dakota Wesleyan went 0-4 record in the most recent tournament at Columbia (Mo.) after opening their season with a 4-0 record in the Florida tournament.
Next Up: DSU wraps up their preseason tune-up in the Viterbo (Wis.) next weekend in La Crosse, Wis., with three matches, before opening their North Star conference play at Bellevue (Neb.) on Sept. 13.
This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) will be playing their sixth different opponent from the Great Plains Athletic Conference on Tuesday evening, where DSU is 3-2 record versus GPAC foes this season.
+ DWU swept the season series with DSU last season, with both matches going to five sets. Both teams will meet for the second meeting of the season in early October in Mitchell, S.D.
+ DSU and Dordt (Iowa) will be meeting for the second time in six days, with the Trojans winning the first meeting at DSU Fieldhouse in four sets.
+ Dakota State will be playing teams from three different conferences in the annual College of Saint Mary (Neb.) Labor Day Classic, featuring numerous top NAIA teams in the tournament. DSU faces teams from Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, GPAC, and Heart of America Athletic Conference.
+ The last time DSU faced the NAIA's top-ranked team was on March 17, 2021, where they fell to Jamestown (N.D.) at DSU Fieldhouse in three sets.
+ Dakota State Is meeting Bethel (Kan.) for the first time since Sept. 10, 2021, winning three sets in the Peru State (Neb.) Tournament.
+ DSU and Mount Mercy (Iowa) will meet for the first time since Sept. 9, 2016 (DSU won last meeting).
Groft collects NSAA setter of the week award
Madison, S.D. (Aug. 28, 2023)—The North Star Athletic Association has selected Dakota State's
Madalyn Groft as its Volleyball Setter-of-the-Week in the second edition of the weekly honors, thanks to a pair of triple-doubles during the week.
Groft kicked off the week by producing 27 set assists, career-high 21 digs, and 10 kills for a triple-double in 3-2 road setback at Morningside (Iowa).
She followed up with 18 set assists, 11 kills, and 10 digs for her second consecutive triple-double after a 3-1 home victory over Dordt (Iowa) in the NSAA/GPAC Cross-Over on Aug. 26. She concluded the week with 19 assists, six kills, and five digs after the Trojans breezed past in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) in three.
Groft totaled 64 set assists (5.3 assists per set), 36 digs, and 27 kills for Dakota State. She leads the team with 93 set assists this season (5.2 set assist per set) Prior to this week's matches, she also tallied 38 kills and 53 digs.
Trojans fall short in five-set marathon match
Sioux City, Iowa (Aug. 23, 2023)—Dakota State (S.D.) grabbed a 2-0 match lead, but dropped the next three sets as they fell short in a five-set marathon match over Morningside (Iowa) at RVSC-Allee Gym.
DSU earned 25-22 and 29-27 victories in the first two sets. The Mustangs stormed back to win the next three sets, highlighted by hitting over .350 in the third and fifth sets.
Madalyn Groft posted her second career triple-double in the match, while
Sydney Schell and
Maddi Langerock each recorded a double-double for the Trojans.
Groft had 10 kills, 27 set assists, and a career-high 21 digs. Schell smashed 20 kills and collected 14 digs. She hit .314 in the match. Langerock contributed 23 assists and 16 digs.
Keira Murdock smashed a season-high 10 kills.
Hailey Wathen sadded seven kills.
Sophia Vanden Bosch had a season-high 18 digs.
Kate VanRooyan led the defense with a season-high 23 digs.
Morningside had two more kills than Dakota State in the match (64-62). The Mustangs hit .192 while the Trojans recorded .123 hitting efficiency. Both teams registered three service aces and 106 digs in the match.
Morningside collected 11 blocks to Dakota State five blocks..
Trojans hold off Defenders in home opener
Madison, S.D. (Aug. 26, 2023)—Dakota State outhit Dordt (Iowa) 52-44 to open the North Star/GPAC Cross-Over Tournament with a 3-1 victory at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans also hit . 215 in the match, thanks to hitting well over .225 in the three sets won (first, third, and fourth sets).
DSU opened with a 25-18 win in the first set before DU rallied back to tie the match at 1-1 after winning the second set at 25-22. Dakota State used a fast start in the third set and held off the Defenders in the final two sets at 25-22 and 25-18..
Madalyn Groft posted another triple-double for the week with 18 set assists, 10 digs, and 11 kills for DSU. She added two service aces.
Sydney Schell added a double-double of 13 kills and 12 digs.
Maddi Langerock recorded 22 assists and a service ace.
Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri had a career-high nine kills and seven blocks.
Keira Murdock had eight kills.
DSU tallied 10 blocks compared to DU six blocks. Both teams had 60 digs in the match.
DSU continues their dominance over Mount Marty (S.D.)
Madison, S.D. (Aug. 26, 2023)—Dakota State (S.D.) continued their dominance in the series meeting with Mount Marty (S.D.), registering their 11th straight winning the series with a 3-0 sweep over the Lancers.
The Trojans held the Lancers to no more than 15 points in a set, thanks to their astounding season-high .412 hitting percentage (51 kills with 11 errors in 97 attempts). DSU held MMU to .018 hitting percentage (22 kills with 20 errors in 111 swings).
Sydney Schell posted a double-double of 14 kills and 14 digs for DSU. She hit .500 in the match.
Maddi Langerock paced the offense with 26 set assists.
Madalyn Groft tallied 19 assists and six kills.
Macey Wathen and
Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri each had nine kills.
Hailey Wathen had seven kills, while
Keira Murdock added six kills.
Kate VanRooyan led the defense with 15 digs.
Dakota State tallied 54 digs in the match to Mount Marty 33 digs.
2023 DSU Trojan Volleyball Team Leaders
Follow DSU Athletics
· Twitter: @DSU_Trojans
· Facebook: DSUTrojans
· Instagram: dsutrojans
· DSU Volleyball Twitter: @volleyball_dsu
· DSU Volleyball Facebook: Dakota State University Volleyball
· DSU Volleyball Instagram: volleyball_dsu
