October 25, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) was unable to take advantage of NAIA's nationally ranked Jamestown's (N.D.) 31 attack errors, despite being outhit 61-50 Friday evening in a 3-1 setback in the North Star Athletic Association volleyball action at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Jimmies held on to the set scores of 27-25, 25-20, 20-25, and 27-25 to complete the NSAA conference series sweep.

Dakota State, receiving votes in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll, fell to 14-10 overall record and 3-4 NSAA conference record.  It was the second straight match that the Trojans faced the NAIA's nationally ranked Top 10 teams.  Jamestown, ranked No. 2 in the national poll, remained undefeated at 19-0 overall record and 8-0 NSAA conference record.

The Trojans won the junior varsity match 2-1 (25-21, 25-15, and 9-15), ballooning their winning streak to nine matches.  DSU lifted their overall record to 15-1 on the season.  They will close out their home schedule Monday in a triangular with Minnesota West CC at 3 p.m. (scrimmage) and Mount Marty (S.D.) at 7 p.m.

Dakota State hosts Dickinson State (N.D.) Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m. in another North Star conference action.  The Trojan volleyball team will be honoring their five seniors prior to the match.

(2) Jamestown (N.D.) 3, (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL (27-25, 25-20, 20-25, 27-25)

The Jimmies stormed to a 4-0 opening lead after four consecutive kills by three hitters (two from Aleah Zieske). 

Trailing 8-4, Dakota State mounted a comeback to tie the first set with a 6-2 run and tied the game at 10-10 after UJ's attack error.

The Trojans went on a 4-0 scoring run to earn a 14-11 lead after Macey Wathen's kill (assisted by Madalyn Groft).  DSU maintained their lead until UJ rallied back to tie at 16-16, highlighted by a service ace from Tenley Buddenhagen.

Dakota State then went on a 4-1 scoring run for a 20-17 lead, forcing Jamestown to call a timeout.  Brooklyn Grage smashed a kill to give DSU a 23-20 lead.  The Jimmies rallied back to tie at 23-23 after a 3-0 run, capped by Charlee Kreig's kill.

Grage smashed a kill to set up a set point chance at 24-23 for Dakota State.  The Jimmies scored the next two points to earn a 25-24 lead.  A miscue committed by UJ tied the first set at 25-25. 

UJ secured the first set by winning the final two points after a pair of errors by the Trojans, earning a 27-25 victory and 1-0 match lead.

Jamestown smashed 18 kills in the first set but committed 10 attack errors in 63 attempts (.127 hitting percentage).  Dakota State recorded 13 kills with four errors in 55 swings (.164 hitting percentage).

DSU and UJ went through seven ties and one lead change in the opening of the second set.  At 8-8, Charlee Kreig sparked Jamestown's 4-0 scoring run with back-to-back kills followed by a kill from two different hitters (Zieske and Lexi Olson) for a 12-8 lead.

Dakota State could get no closer than two points at 12-10 in the second set.  Lily Bertsch smashed a kill to close the second set at 25-20, extending the match lead to 2-0 for the Jimmies.

UJ outhit DSU 17-10 in the third set.  The Jimmies hit .267 (five errors in 45 swings) compared to the Trojans .146 hitting percentage (four errors in 41 attempts).

Down 2-1 in the third set, Dakota State reeled off five straight points to open a 6-2 lead.  Wathen smashed a kil, while Reagan VanRooyan added a service ace during the Trojans' scoring run.

The Trojans maintained their lead as they used another scoring run to balloon their lead.  Leading 15-12, Dakota State scored five straight points for the biggest lead at 20-12 after Maddi Langerock's service ace.

Jamestown then scored four straight points to trim their deficit to 20-16 after back-to-back kills from Karlie Anderson. 

Wathen smashed a kill to close the third set for a 25-20 as DSU extended the match into the fourth set, trailing 2-1.

DSU hit .233 in the third set (11 kills with four errors in 30 swings) compared to UJ .143 hitting percentage (12 kills with 8 errors in 28 attempts).

The Trojans opened the fourth set with a 6-2 lead and grew to 9-5 after Jimmies' attack error. 

A block from Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri and Hannah Evans widen DSU's lead to 17-11 in the four set, forcing Jamestown to call a timeout.

The Jimmies came out from the timeout with a 4-0 scoring run to trim DSU's lead to 17-15 and burn their first timeout of the fourth set.

With DSU leading 21-19, the Jimmies went on a 4-0 scoring run to regain their lead at 23-21.  The Trojans came out from the timeout and scored the next two points, capped by a kill by Hailey Wathen to tie at 23-23.

A service error by the Trojans gave the Jimmies a match point at 24-23.  Grage and Vongkasemsiri answered with a block to tie at 24-24.  Kreig smashed a kill to set up another match point at 25-24 for UJ.

The Jimmies committed a service error as DSU saved a match point at 25-25.  The Trojans then committed a service error for UJ's 26-25 lead.  Gracie Adamson smashed a kill to give Jamestown a 27-25 victory and 3-1 match win.

Dakota State had one more kill in the fourth set than Jamestown (16-15).  The Trojans hit .157 (eight attack errors in 51 swings) compared to the Jimmies .143 hitting percentage (eight attack errors in 49 swings).

Three DSU hitters produced double digits kills, paced by H. Wathen with 12 kills.  M. Wathen and Grage each added 10 kills.  Vongkasemsiri tallied eight kills.  Sydney Schell had five kills. 

Groft produced a double-double of 28 set assists and 11 digs for Dakota State.  Langerock added 14 set assists. 

Kate VanRooyan led the Trojans' defense with 25 digs.  Schell added 15 digs.  Vongkasemsiri recorded four blocks.  Grage collected three blocks.  Groft, K. VanRooyan, R. VanRooyan and Langerock each registered a service ace.

Zieske and Krieg each recorded 13 kills for Jamestown.  Ziekse posted a double-double with 12 kills.  Olson, Adamson and Charlotte Lempka each had nine kills.  Bertsch had a double-double of 31 set assists and 15 digs.  Tenley Buddenhagen had 22 assists, two aces, and eight digs. 

Ellie Holen produced a match-high 37 digs for the Jimmies.  She also contributed six assists. 

Dakota State hit better in the match with .169 hitting percentage (50 kills with 20 attack errors in 177 swings) compared to Jamestown .162 hitting percentage (61 kills with 31 errors in 185 swings). 

The Jimmies were 92.9 percent from the serving line with five aces and seven errors in 98 serves.  The Trojans struggled at the serving line, recording 88.5 percent with four aces and 11 errors in 96 attempts.