November 15, 2024

Photo by Bellevue (Neb.) Sports Information Media

BELLEVUE, Neb. – Dakota State (S.D.) made their appearance in the North Star Athletic Association Women's Volleyball Postseason Tournament's semifinal for the sixth time in the past seven seasons Friday evening at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.  The Trojans earned a 3-2 thrilling victory over nationally ranked Jamestown (N.D.) to advance to their third NSAA postseason championship match in program history.

Set scores were 15-25, 25-21, 26-24, 22-25, and 18-16.  The final North Star Athletic Association women's volleyball postseason tournament is being played at the top-seed Bellevue (Neb.).  It was the highest ranking for the Trojans since they defeated No. 7 ranked Viterbo (Wis.) at DSU Fieldhouse on Nov. 3, 2018.

Dakota State, receiving votes in the final edition of the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, won their third straight match to lift their overall record to 18-11.  Jamestown, ranked No. 3 in the national poll, suffered their second setback this season at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center (lost to Bellevue late in the regular season) and dipped their overall record to 22-2. 

The Trojans also earned their second win over the Jimmies in the previous four meetings, despite being swept in this year's NSAA conference meetings.  DSU also earned their first postseason victory over UJ in NSAA postseason tournament history.

Dakota State faces Bellevue, who cruised past fourth-seed Valley City State (N.D.) 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, and 25-13) in the second semifinal match Friday evening.  The championship match is set for 2 p.m., with the winner receiving the North Star's conference automatic bid to the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Tournament Opening Round on Saturday, Nov. 23.

Both NSAA meetings this season between DSU and BU went to five sets.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 3, (3) Jamestown (N.D.) 2 – FINAL (15-25, 25-21, 26-24, 22-25, 18-16)

Dakota State and Jamestown battled back and forth in the first 15 rallies.  With UJ leading 8-7, the Jimmies stretched their lead to 11-7 after a 4-0 scoring run.  Aleah Zieske and a service ace from Lily Bertsch highlighted the scoring run for the Jimmies.

Jamestown never trailed for the rest of the first set, closing the first with a 5-0 scoring run for a 25-15 victory and 1-0 match lead.  UJ hit .308 in the opening set (15 kills with three errors in 39 swings) and held DSU to .147 hitting percentage (10 kills with five errors in 34 attempts).

The Jimmies jumped to a 5-1 lead in the second set, capped by a block from Gracie Adamson and Charlotte Lempka.  UJ ballooned their lead to 14-9 before DSU went on a monstrous scoring run.

Sydney Schell ignited Dakota State's 9-0 outburst with a kill.  The Jimmies committed five consecutive attack errors during the Trojans' scoring run and was highlighted by a block from Hannah Evans and Wathen followed by a kill from Brooklyn Grage for an 18-14 lead.

The Trojans ballooned their lead to 21-15 after a block from Evans and Tristyn Maras, forcing the Jimmies to call a timeout.  DSU never trailed for the rest of the second set, tying the match at 1-1 with Brooklyn Grage's kill for a 25-21 victory.

Jamestown outhit Dakota State 18-14 in the second set, but the Trojans hit better (.353 to UJ .214 hitting percentage).

Maras smashed a kill to give DSU a 6-5 lead before the Jimmies went on a scoring run.  Jamestown scored four straight points to overtake a 9-6 lead.

UJ widened their lead to 13-8 after using another 4-0 scoring run, capped by Karlie Anderson's kill. 

Down 19-16, the Trojans mounted a comeback to overtake the lead.  DSU went on a 6-2 run to take a 22-21 lead, thanks to back-to-back blocks from Evans (along with Grage and Wathen).  The Trojans set up a set point chance at 24-22 after Maras' kill.

Jamestown saved two set points to tie the third set at 24-24 after Lempa's kill.  Maras smashed a kill to give DSU 25-24 lead and secured a 26-24 victory after UJ's attack error.  The Trojans earned a 2-1 match lead after hitting .209 (13 kills with four errors in 43 swings) and held the Jimmies to .173 hitting percentage (18 kills with nine errors in 52 attempts).

Both DSU and UJ went through a see-saw battle in the fourth set, taking turns for leads or tying the score.  Wathen smashed a kill to give DSU a 17-16 lead.  Jamestown then went on a 6-1 scoring run for a 22-18 lead after Adamson's kill, forcing the Trojans to call a timeout.

DSU could get no closer than two points at 24-22 as Zieske smashed a kill for a 25-22 victory, forcing the match to go to fifth and deciding set.

Jamestown outhit Dakota State 18-11 in the fourth set.

The Trojans and the Jimmies went back-and-forth in the fifth set, leading as many as two points (UJ 2-0 to start the fifth set).  Knotted at 8-6, Schell smashed a kill followed by a block from Grage and Macey Wathen for 10-8 DSU lead and forced the Jimmies to call a timeout.

Dakota State continued its scoring run, leading as many as four points at 14-10.  Jamestown stormed back and saved four match points to tie the fifth set at 14-14, capped by a service ace by Zieske.

H. Wathen smashed a kill (assisted by Maddi Langerock) to set up their fifth match point opportunity at 15-14.  Lily Bertsch recorded a kill to save another match point a UJ tied at 15-15.  Schell followed up with a kill for 16-15 lead, while the Trojans committed an attack error as UJ saved their sixth match point at 16-16.

A service error by the Jimmies gave the Trojans a 17-16 lead.  Grage and M. Wathen closed the match with a block, securing a thrilling 18-16 victory for Dakota State that send them to the NSAA championship match.

Both DSU and UJ tallied 12 kills in the deciding set.  The Trojans hit .300 (three attack errors in 30 attempts) compared to the Jimmies .276 (four attack errors in 29 swings).

Four Dakota State hitters registered double digit kills, led by Schell with 17 kills.  She also had a double-double with 21 digs.  H. Wathen added 12 kills and three blocks.  Maras smashed 11 kills and registered three blocks.  Grage had 10 kills and seven blocks.  M. Wathen had seven kills and four blocks.

Madalyn Groft produced a double-double of 26 set assists and 15 digs.  She surpassed 3,000 career set assists at Dakota State.  Langerock added 22 set assists and eight digs.

Kate VanRooyan led the Trojans with 23 digs.  Logan Conlin added a career-high 13 digs.  Evans tallied a match-high 10 blocks in the match.  VanRooyan and Reagan VanRooyan each had a service ace.

Zieske recorded a match-high 24 kills and produced a double-double with 14 kills for UJ.  Adamson added 14 kills and six digs.  Anderson had 12 kills.  Lempka had 11 kills and hit .308.  Charlee Krieg had 10 kills.

Tenley Buddenhagen collected 38 set assists and eight digs for Jamestown.  Bertsch added a double-double of 27 set assists and 11 digs. 

Ellie Holen tallied a match-high 34 digs for the Jimmies.  Grace Hegerle added 13 digs.  Lexi Olson had four blocks.

Jamestown outhit Dakota State 81-60 in the match.  The Jimmies hit .218 (33 attack errors in 220 swings) compared to the Trojans .212 hitting percentage (19 errors in 193 attempts).

DSU tied a season-high 17 blocks in the match while UJ was limited to five blocks.