November 1, 2024

MAYVILLE, N.D. – (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) hit .307 in the North Star Athletic Association regular-season volleyball finale, rolling to a 3-0 sweep over Mayville State (N.D.) Friday evening at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.  The Trojans won by the set scores of 25-18, 25-21, and 25-19, earning their fourth straight victory in the series meeting.

Dakota State, who gained more votes in the receiving votes in the latest NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, improved to 16-11 overall record.  Mayville State dropped their ninth straight match, falling to 8-17 overall record and 1-8 record in the league.

The Trojans secured the No. 3 seed for the upcoming North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament, which is set to open next Saturday (Nov. 9).  DSU coupled with Valley City State (N.D.) 3-0 home setback to No. 6 ranked Bellevue (Neb.) Friday night ended to a 5-5 conference record.

DSU owns the tiebreaker over VCSU, based on numbers of sets won during their head-to-head meetings (Dakota State four sets to Valley City State three sets).

The Trojans await to find out who will play in the NSAA quarterfinals next Saturday.  DSU hosts either Mayville State or Dickinson State (N.D.), the No. 6 seed (Bellevue plays at Mayville State Saturday afternoon).  The first serve is set for 1 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Mayville State (N.D.) 0 – FINAL (25-18, 25-21, 25-19)

Dakota State went on a 4-0 scoring run to break the 4-4 tie into an 8-4 lead after a miscue by Mayville State in the first set.  The Trojans ballooned their lead to 18-11, capped by a service ace from Maddi Langerock.

DSU never trailed for the rest of the first set as Brooklyn Grage smashed a kill (assisted by Madalyn Groft) to secure a 25-18 victory and 1-0 match lead.  The Trojans hit .297 in the opening set (15 kills with four errors in 37 attempts) compared to the Comets .195 hitting percentage (14 kills with six error sin 41 swings).

After a closely tight second set with DSU leading 7-6, the Trojans used a 6-1 scoring run highlighted by a block by Hannah Evans and Sydney Schell for a 13-7 lead.

Mayville State trimmed Dakota State's lead to 15-12 after Desidy Schwanke's kill in the second set.  Leading 23-21, Schell smashed a kill for a set point opportunity at 24-21.  Evans and Tristyn Maras closed the second set with a block, giving DSU a 25-21 victory and extended their match lead to 2-0.

DSU hit .311 in the second set (18 kills with four errors in 45 attempts) compared to MSU .244 hitting percentage (16 kills with five errors in 45 swings).

Dakota State and Mayville State battled back and forth in the see-saw third set, with the lead no greater than three points by the Trojans at 17-14 after Schell's kill (assisted by Langerock). 

A block by Abby Cox and Madison McKinnon helped the Comets tie the third set at 18-18.  DSU then went on a 4-0 scoring run, thanks to three kills from Schell for a 22-18 lead.

Dakota State scored the final three points of the third set, securing a 25-19 victory after Hailey Wathen closed with a kill.  The Trojans outhit the Comets 19-12 in the third set.  DSU also hit .311 in the set (five errors in 45 attempts) and held MSU to .174 hitting percentage (four errors in 46 attempts).

Schell posted a double-double of 18 kills and 18 digs for Dakota State.  She hit an impressive .457 in the match.  Macey Wathen smashed a career-high 14 kills and hit .545 in the match.  H. Wathen and Grage each added seven kills. 

Groft contributed double-double of 26 set assists and 11 digs for the Trojans.  Langerock added 21 set assists and eight digs.  Kate VanRooyan collected a match-high 20 digs.  Logan Conlin had eight digs.  Langerock and Reagan VanRooyan each registered a service ace.  Evans collected five blocks.  Maras added three blocks.

Samantha Pass led the Comets with 10 kills.  She had eight digs.  Andrea Majchrazek added nine kills and four blocks.  Cox had eight kills and two blocks.  Schwanke had seven kills. 

Lindsey Nyhagen had a double-double of 19 set assists and 13 digs for MSU.  Noelle Erickson added 16 assists and five digs.  Emily Condon had 13 digs.  Tori Richter added 11 digs.

Dakota State outhit Mayville State 52-42 in the match.  The Trojans hit .307 (13 errors in 127 swings) compared to the Comets .205 hitting percentage (15 errors in 132 attempts).

The Trojans collected 75 digs in the match to the Comets 62 digs.  Both teams registered six blocks.