October 11, 2024
This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Oct. 11, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan volleyball team (13-7 overall record, 3-2 North Star Athletic Association record, receiving votes—RV—in the 2024 NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 Poll) concludes their non-conference schedule with a pair of games in the Bellevue (Neb.) Marvel Bruin Classic on Saturday afternoon. The matches are being played at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center (1024 Bruin Blvd) in Bellevue, Neb.
Dakota State faces Columbia (Mo.) (11-9 overall record, RV in NAIA) of the America Midwest Conference in the first match on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. The Trojans followed up with a match against Grand View (Iowa) (8-9 overall record) of the Heart of America Athletic Conference at 4:30 p.m.
DSU returns home on Thursday to kick off the second half of the North Star Athletic Association volleyball schedule. The Trojans host Bellevue (Neb.) (18-3 overall record, 4-1 NSAA conference record, No. 7 in the NAIA national poll) at DSU Fieldhouse. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
Dakota State is coming off from a 3-1 record since Sept. 27, earning three 3-0 sweeps in the NSAA conference action. The Trojans swept Dickinson State (N.D.) on Sept. 27 and fell short to No. 3 ranked Jamestown (N.D.) on Sept. 28 in three sets. DSU returned home with a pair of 3-0 victories, sweeping (RV) Valley City State (N.D.) on Oct. 2 and Mayville State (N.D.) on Oct. 5.
Columbia was idle since Oct. 2 when they defeated Stephens (Mo.) in four sets in the AMC conference play. Grand View defeated Peru State (Neb.) on the road in four sets on Oct. 8. Bellevue had won four straight matches prior their own home tournament, defeating Hastings (Neb.) in five sets on Oct. 1, Valley City State in four sets on Oct. 3, and Mayville State in three straight sets on Oct. 4.
Up Next: Dakota State concludes their home regular-season schedule on Oct. 25-26 as they host No. 2 ranked Jamestown (N.D.) and Dickinson State (N.D.), respectively. Both matches will be held at DSU Fieldhouse.
This Week's Quick Hits
+Dakota State (S.D.) returns to Gordon Lozier Athletic Center for the second this season (fell short in a five-set thriller to then No. 8-ranked Bellevue, Neb., to kick off the NSAA conference play on Sept. 20).
+The Trojans are 7-3 record on neutral sites and 3-1 record at home this season.
+Columbia (Mo.) had won the first two meetings with the Trojans, both on neutral site. The Cougars defeated DSU in five sets in the Kansas Wesleyan tournament on Sept. 13, 2019. Columbia also earned a 3-0 sweep over Dakota State in the Viterbo (Wis.) tournament on Sept. 8, 2023.
+DSU swept Grand View (Iowa) in the previous meeting on Oct. 14, 2023, in the same Bellevue (Neb.) tournament. Both teams met in the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament Opening Round on Nov. 20, 2021.
+No. 7 ranked Bellevue won the first meeting this season with Dakota State on Sept. 20 in five sets. The last time both teams met at DSU Fieldhouse saw the Trojans coming on top in four sets on Oct. 10, 2023.
+Dakota State had won two times in the last three home meetings with the Bruins.
+The DSU's junior varsity team is 13-1 record, extending their winning streak to seven matches after defeating Iowa Lakes CC in five sets on Sept. 28 and in three sets versus Mayville State (N.D.). DSU visits Sisseton Wahpeton (S.D.) on Wednesday before returning home on Oct. 25 versus Jamestown (N.D.).
Two Trojans named NSAA Players-of-the-Week
Madison, S.D. (Oct. 7, 2024)—Two Dakota State (S.D.) athletes were selected to the eighth edition of the North Star Athletic Association Volleyball Players-of-the-Week. The Trojans went 2-0 record in the NSAA conference matches at DSU Fieldhouse on Oct. 2 and Oct. 5.
Graduate student
Madalyn Groft was selected as the Setter-of-the-Week. She averaged 7.7 set assists and 2.7 digs per set for DSU. She accumulated 46 set assists, 16 digs, and a service ace for the week. She had amassed 2,806 career set assists at DSU, which is fourth all-time set assists in school history.
Sophomore
Kate VanRooyan was selected as the Defender-of-the-Week for the fourth time this season for Dakota State. She averaged 7.2 digs per set. She tallied 28 digs (9.3 digs per set) in DSU's victory over Valley City State. She added four service aces in the match.
VanRooyan amassed 43 digs and did not commit a single reception error in 25 total receptions. She accumulated 987 digs during her career at Dakota State prior to the matches on Saturday.
(RV) DSU splits NSAA road contests in North Dakota
Dickinson, N.D. (Sept. 27, 2024) and Jamestown, N.D. (Sept. 28, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) split a pair of North Star Athletic Association volleyball matches in North Dakota, concluding their month-long away from DSU Fieldhouse.
The Trojans held Dickinson State (N.D.) to below .100 hitting percentage for a 3-0 sweep. Set scores were 25-22, 25-14, and 25-17.
Sydney Schell led DSU with a double-double of 12 kills and 10 digs.
Hailey Wathen added eight kills and hit .333.
Macey Wathen had seven kills and two blocks.
Brooklyn Grage tallied six kills and four blocks.
Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri tallied three blocks.
Madalyn Groft produced 16 set assists, while
Maddi Langerock added nine assists.
Dakota State was unable to halt No. 3 ranked Jamestown's (N.D.) winning streak on Sept. 28, falling in three straight sets. The Jimmies won by the set scores of 25-19, 25-22, and 25-23 over the Trojans.
Schell led the Trojans with 11 kills and nine kills. Grage added nine kills. Vongkasemsiri registered seven kills and two blocks. H. Wathen had six kills and five digs. Groft produced a double-double of 20 set assists and 10 digs. Langerock had seven assists and seven digs.
Kate VanRooyan collected 15 digs.
Jamestown recorded a hitting percentage of .207 in the match compared to Dakota State .167. The Jimmies outhit the Trojans 52-37. UJ registered eight blocks to DSU three blocks.
(RV) Trojans return home with pair of wins
Madison, S.D. (Oct. 2 and Oct. 5, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) returned home from their month long away from DSU Fieldhouse, earning a pair of North Star Athletic Association victories to conclude their first half portion of the conference schedule.
The Trojans posted a 3-0 victory (25-20, 25-18, and 27-25) over Valley City State (N.D.) on Oct. 2 in the battle of NAIA's receiving votes (RV) teams in the national poll.
DSU used a balanced offense attack, led by
Macey Wathen with 11 kills and hit .526.
Sydney Schell added a double-double of 15 kills and 10 digs.
Brooklyn Grage had eight kills, while
Hailey Wathen added seven kills.
Madalyn Groft contributed 21 set assists.
Maddi Langerock added 17 assists.
Kate VanRooyan had a match-high 28 digs.
Dakota State rolled to their fifth win in the last six matches with a 3-0 sweep over Mayville State (N.D.) on Oct. 5 (26-24, 25-21, 25-18). The Trojans smashed 50 kills in the match.
H. Wathen and Grage each recorded 11 kills for DSU. M. Wathen added nine kills.
Tristyn Maras tallied seven kills. Groft tallied 25 set assists, while Langerock had 19 assists. Schell had 17 digs.
(RV) DSU in the North Star conference ranks
Madison, S.D. (Oct. 11, 2024)—According to the NAIA-PrestoStats website as of Friday, Dakota State ranks third in the North Star Athletic Association in kills per set with 13.2 kills per set. The Trojans lead the league with 1,370 total digs, as well as digs per set with an average of 19.0 digs per set.
Sydney Schell ranks fifth in the North Star with 216 kills this season for Dakota State.
Macey Wathen is also fifth in the conference in hitting percentage of .310.
Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri leads the North Star in blocks per set with 1.2 blocks per set for DSU.
Kate VanRooyan leads the conference in total digs with 380 digs and ranks second with 5.3 digs per set. Schell is also fifth in the North Star Athletic Association with 280 total digs.
During NSAA conference season, Dakota State leads the league with 19.4 digs per set. The Trojans are also second in the conference with 38 blocks. The Trojans average 13.5 set assists per set and hit .202, which each category is third best in the North Star.
2024 DSU Trojan Volleyball Team Leaders
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