October 17, 2024
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) and NAIA's nationally-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) kicked off their second half portion of the North Star Athletic Association schedule Thursday evening at DSU Fieldhouse. The Bruins outhit the Trojans 67-58, holding on to a 3-2 thriller. Set scores were 20-25, 25-22, 26-24, 13-25, and 15-9.
Both NSAA meetings this season went to five sets, with both meetings won by the Bruins. Dakota State, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, fell to 14-9 overall record and 3-3 NSAA conference record. Bellevue, ranked No. 8 in the national poll, raised their overall record to 22-3 and 5-1 record in the league.
Dakota State continues their home stand next weekend, hosting No. 2 ranked Jamestown (N.D.) next Friday. The junior varsity squad, who swept Sisseton Wahpeton (S.D.) to raise their overall record to 14-1, plays at 4 p.m. The varsity match is set for 6 p.m.
The Trojans close out their home schedule next Saturday versus Dickinson State (N.D.) on Senior Day at 12 p.m.
(8) Bellevue (Neb.) 3, (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL (20-25, 25-22, 26-24, 13-25, 15-9)
After going through five ties and two lead changes, Dakota State went on to score four straight points to stretch their lead from 8-6 to 12-6. The Trojans never trailed for the rest of the first set, leading as many as seven points at 23-16 after
Tristyn Maras' kill.
An attack error by the Bruins gave the Trojans a 25-20 victory, earning a 1-0 match lead for DSU. Dakota State hit .303 (14 kills with four errors in 33 swings) in the first set and held Bellevue to .143 hitting percentage (13 kills with seven errors in 42 attempts).
Dakota State erupted for four straight points to kick off the second set and opened with a 6-1 lead, thanks to three blocks from
Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri and a pair of blocks from Maras.
Macey Wathen smashed a kill to give Dakota State a 10-4 lead in the second set before Bellevue mounted a furious comeback. The Bruins scored four straight points to trim DSU's lead to 10-8.
With the Trojans leading 13-9, Bellevue roared back by scoring eight straight points to overtake a 17-13 lead after a service ace by Kenzie Polk.
Dakota State answered with a 6-2 scoring run to knot the second set at 19-19 after a block by Wathen.
At 22-21, the Bruins scored the next two points with a kill each from Kealy Kiviniemi and Savanna Berger to set up a set point opportunity at 24-21. Vongkasemsiri and
Brooklyn Grage recorded a block to save a set point as the Trojans trailed 24-22.
Sidney Sledge closed the second set with a kill to give BU a 25-22 victory, tying the match at 1-1.
Bellevue outhit Dakota State 19-9 in the second set. The Bruins hit .208 (nine errors in 48 swings) compared to the Trojans .156 hitting percentage (four errors in 32 attempts).
Both teams went through a closely tight third set with 13 ties, five lead changes, and a lead no greater by two points. Kiviniemi smashed a kill to give BU a set point chance at 24-23. DSU tied up at 24-24 as Vongkasemsiri recorded a kill.
Sledge and Polk each recorded a kill as Bellevue secured the third set at 26-24, earning a 2-1 match lead over Dakota State. Both teams had 17 kills in the third set. BU hit .310 (four errors in 42 attempts) while DSU registered a hitting percentage of .261 (five errors in 46 attempts).
Dakota State opened the fourth set with a 4-1 lead, capped by a kill from
Sydney Schell, and never trailed. Leading 15-10, the Trojans closed the fourth set with a 10-3 outburst to force the fifth and deciding set. DSU highlighted the scoring run with a 5-0 run and a 4-0 closing run. Wathen smashed a kill to close the fourth set for the Trojans' 25-13 victory and evened the match at 2-2.
DSU hit .273 in the fourth set (13 kills with four errors in 33 attempts) and held BU to negative .098 hitting percentage (six kills with 10 errors in 41 swings).
Dakota State and Bellevue went through three ties and two lead changes in the early going of the fifth set. The Bruins pulled away with a 6-2 scoring run to break a 3-3 tie into a 9-5 lead after a kill from Eve Fountain.
The Trojans could get no closer than three points at 9-6, 10-7, and 11-8. The Bruins scored three straight points to balloon their lead to 14-8 after Fleischman's kill. Kiviniemi closed the match with a kill to give BU a 15-9 victory and 3-2 match.
Bellevue outhit Dakota State 12-5 in the fifth set. The Bruins hit .346 (three errors in 26 swings) and held the Trojans to .095 hitting percentage (three errors in 21 attempts).
Grage led the Trojans with 13 kills. She also had five digs. Schell posted a double-double of 11 kills and 15 digs. Maras smashed nine kills and collected a career-high eight blocks. Wathen had eight kills.
Maddi Langerock contributed a double-double of 22 set assists and 19 digs for Dakota State.
Madalyn Groft added 20 assists and nine digs.
Kate VanRooyan had a double-double of 22 digs and a career-high 10 set assists. Langerock, Wathen, and Schell each registered a service ace.
Reagan VanRooyan had eight digs.
Vongkasemsiri tallied a career-high 10 blocks in the match for DSU, which is tied for second most blocks in a single match school record. Wathen added four blocks.
Kiviniemi paced the Bruins with 18 kills and hit .342. Sledge added 11 kills. Fountain and Berger each recorded nine kills. Fleischman added eight kills. Polk had seven kills and three service aces.
Mila Aiowhi produced a double-double of 34 set assists and 12 digs for Bellevue. Victoria Runyan added 24 assists and nine digs. Taylan Keefer collected 19 digs.
Dakota State hit better than Bellevue in the match. The Trojans hit .230 (58 kills with 20 errors in 165 swings) compared to the Bruins .171 hitting percentage (67 kills with 33 errors in 199 attempts).
The Trojans tallied 15 blocks compared to the Bruins six blocks. It was the second straight match that Dakota State recorded at least 15 blocks.
DSU was 93.4 percent at the serving line with three aces and seven errors in 106 attempts. BU registered a service percentage of 92.9 percent with three aces and seven errors in 98 serves.
