September 11, 2023
This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Sept. 11, 2023)—The Dakota State University Trojan volleyball team (7-6 overall record, 0-0 North Star record) prepares to open their 12-match North Star Athletic Association schedule Wednesday evening, visiting their traveling partner. The Trojans play their lone match of the week, taking on NAIA's nationally ranked No. 13 Bellevue (Neb.) (11-1 overall record, 0-0 NSAA). First serve from the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center (1024 Bruin Blvd) is set for 6 p.m. in Bellevue, Neb.
The Dakota State Trojan junior varsity team is slated to play four matches in the North Dakota School of Science tournament this weekend. The Trojans play Central Lakes CC (Minn.) at 2 p.m. and Jamestown (N.D.) at 6 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, DSU plays Minnesota State Tech at 8:30 a.m. and Iowa Central CC at 11:30 a.m. The tournament is being played at Ed Were Arena (800 6th Street N) in Wahpeton, N.D.
Dakota State went 1-2 record in the Viterbo (Wis.) Tournament last weekend. The Trojans opened with a 3-0 setback to No. 11 ranked Columbia (Mo.) on Sept. 8. DSU earned their second win over NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked team, defeating No. 10 ranked Montana Tech in three straight sets on Sept. 9. Dakota State closed the tournament with a 3-0 defeat to William Penn (Iowa).
Bellevue extended their winning streak to five matches after sweeping past McPherson (Kan.) in three straight sets on Sept. 7. The Bruins are set to play three matches in the Ottawa (Kan.) tournament this weekend, including a pair of NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked teams.
Next Up: Dakota State returns home next week for the first time since Aug. 29. The Trojans continue their North Star conference play, hosting nationally ranked Viterbo (Wis.) on Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. and Waldorf (Iowa) on Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. DSU Volleyball alumni weekend will be held next weekend.
This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) and Bellevue (Neb.) meet for the North Star Athletic Association season opener for the third consecutive year.
+ The Trojans are seeking for their first win over the Bruins since Oct. 13, 2021, where DSU won in a five-set thriller at DSU Fieldhouse.
+ The last time Dakota State had defeated Bellevue at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center was on Oct. 9, 2019.
+ DSU will be facing the NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked team for the fifth time this season on Wednesday. The Trojans are 2-2 record versus the NAIA's Top 25 teams, with the most recent victory over No. 10 ranked Montana Tech on Sept. 9.
+ Dakota State's remaining matches in the month of September are all North Star Athletic Association matches. After their home matches next week, DSU closes the month of September with a road trip at Mayville State (N.D.) on Sept. 27.
+ According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Monday, the Trojans rank 8th in the nation with 18.8 digs per set and 13th in total digs with 883 digs.
Sydney Schell ranks 15th in the NAIA with 177 total kills, while
Kate VanRooyan is 24th in the nation in total digs with 230 digs.
Two Trojans surpass 1,000-dig milestone
La Crosse, Wis. (Sept. 8-9, 2023)—Two Dakota State (S.D.) volleyball athletes had surpassed the 1,000-dig club during the Viterbo (Wis.) Tournament last weekend at Varsity Activities Center.
Both
Madalyn Groft and
Sydney Schell combined for 2,045 career digs prior to this week's match. Groft surpassed the milestone during DSU's 3-0 setback to No. 11 ranked Columbia (Mo.) on Sept. 8.
The following day on Sept. 9, Schell met that milestone after the Trojans' 3-0 victory over NAIA's nationally-ranked No. 10 Montana Tech.
Prior to this week's match at Bellevue, Groft accumulated 1,028 digs while Schell collected 1,017 digs.
Groft is also fifth all-time on the Dakota State's set assists career list. She passed Kaylee Vander Wal as the fifth all-time assists (2,143 set assists from 2013-16), racking up 2,260 set assists since 2020. Rachel Johnson is fourth all-time with 2,515 set assists (2015-20). Stacey Westby holds the all-time school record of 3,8 04 set assists from 2011-15.
(11) Columbia (Mo.) holds off Trojans in three sets
La Crosse, Wis. (Sept. 8, 2023)—Dakota State (S.D.) and NAIA's No. 11 ranked Columbia (Mo.) went through series of runs throughout the match on the first day of the Viterbo (Wis.) Tournament at Varsity Activities Center. The Cougars held off the Trojans by identical scores of 25-23 in three straight sets.
The Cougars used a 3-0 closing run in the first set to secure a 1-0 match lead. Both teams went throw a see-saw battle with nine ties in the first 30 rallies with 15-15 tie. Columbia held off Trojans' late comeback to secure another 25-23 victory and 2-0 match lead. CC had a 24-19 lead in the fourth set, while DSU went on a 4-0 scoring run before the Cougars secured the match after winning the third set 25-23.
Madalyn Groft finished with a double-double of 18 set assists and 11.digs for the Trojans. She smashed nine kills and surpassed her 1,000th career dig milestone.
Maddi Langerock added 17 set assists and 11 digs.
Sydney Schell produced a double-double of 12 kills and 11 digs.
Brooklyn Grage tallied seven kills and hit .400 in the match.
Kate VanRooyan led DSU's defense with 12 digs.
Columbia outhit Dakota State 46-41 in the mach. The Cougars hit .220 (17 errors in 132 attempts), while the Trojans recorded a .163 hitting percentage (21 attack errors in 123 swings). DSU collected 56 digs to the Cougars 54 digs.
DSU earns second NAIA's Top 25 win; splits matches
La Crosse, Wis. (Sept. 9, 2023)—Dakota State (S.D.) earned their second win over NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked team, sweeping No. 10 ranked Montana Tech of the Frontier Conference in three straight sets on the second day of the Viterbo (Wis.) Tournament..
DSU won by the set scores of 25-18, 25-23, and 26-24 over the Orediggers.
Madalyn Groft posted a double-double of 22 assists and 10 digs.
Sydney Schell had a double-double of 14 kills and 13 digs.
Brooklyn Grage had 11 kills and hit .364 in the match. Makenize Coplan had seven kills and four service aces. DSU outhit Montana Tech 41-32.
The Trojans fell to William Penn (Iowa) on the final match of the tournament. The Statemen won by the scores of 25-15, 25-22, and 25-21.
Hailey Wathen paced the Trojans with nine kills. Grage added five kills. Groft recorded 13 set assists and nine digs.
Maddi Langerock had eight assists and eight digs.
Kate VanRooyan produced a match-high 23 digs.
Hannah Evans, Groft, and Grage each registered two block assists.
North Star volleyball conference overview
Madison, S.D. (Sept. 11, 2023)—The North Star Athletic Association women's volleyball conference season officially starts on Wednesday with traveling partners playing each other. Dakota State (S.D.) travels to Bellevue (Neb.), while Viterbo (Wis.) hosts Waldorf (Iowa) and Valley City State (N.D.) visits Dickinson State (N.D.). Mayville State (N.D.) awaits until next week for their North Star opener.
Each North Star volleyball members will be playing a 12-match schedule, with six matches on the road and six matches at home. The NSAA volleyball season concludes on Nov. 4, where the Trojans host Mayville State (N.D.) at DSU Fieldhouse.
The North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament had expanded to three day at Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D. The top six teams in the standings will advance to the postseason tournament, with the quarterfinals on Nov. 9, semifinals on Nov. 10, and the championship match on Nov. 11.
2023 DSU Trojan Volleyball Team Leaders
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