November 23, 2024

Photo credit by Midland (Neb.) Sports Information

FREMONT, Neb. – Dakota State (S.D.) was playing their third appearance in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Opening Round in the past six seasons Saturday afternoon at Wikert Event Center.  The Trojans faced NAIA's No. 20 ranked Midland (Neb.), falling short in four sets.  Set scores were 29-27, 25-13, 21-25, and 25-23, sending the Warriors to the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Tournament's final site at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, on Dec. 4-10.

Dakota State ended their 2024 campaign with an overall record of 18-13, who also was listed in the receiving votes section (RV) in the NAIA national poll throughout the season.  Midland, a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, is 18-11 overall record.

It marked the final career collegiate volleyball match for five Trojan seniors – Hannah Evans, Brooklyn Grage, Madalyn Groft, Sydney Schell, and Hailey Wathen.

(20) Midland (Neb.) 3, (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL (29-27, 25-13, 21-25, 25-23)

Both teams went through a see-saw battle in the early going of the first set.  With Midland leading 12-11, the Warriors went on a 5-0 scoring run to balloon their lead to 17-11 capped by a block from Cameran Jansky and Jacki Apel.

Trailing 22-15, Dakota State went on a monstrous 8-0 scoring run to overtake the lead.  Sydney Schell highlighted the scoring run with a pair of service aces, earning a 23-22 lead.  Lauren Williams ended MU's scoring drought for a 23-22 lead.

Hailey Wathen smashed a kill to set up a set point opportunity at 24-23 (assisted by Madalyn Groft).  The Warriors scored the next two pois for a 25-24 lead, as the Trojans saved MU's set point after Wathen's kill to knot the first set at 25-25.

Both teams traded a point until 27-27 after a kill by Schell.  An attack error by the Trojans followed by a kill by Abbey Ringler gave Midland a 29-27 victory and a 1-0 match lead.

Both teams tallied 17 kills in the opening set.  The Warriors hit .193 (six attack errors in 57 swings) compared to the Trojans .117 hitting percentage (10 attack errors in 60 swings).

Grage smashed a kill to give DSU a 4-3 lead in the second set.  Midland went on a 13-4 outburst to take a 16-8 lead after a service ace by Delaine Vallinch.

Midland never trailed for the rest of the second set, closing with a 5-1 run for a 25-13 victory and extending their match lead to 2-0.  The Warriors hit .333 in the second set (15 kills with three errors in 36 attempts) and held the Trojans to .000 hitting percentage (seven kills with seven errors in 38 swings).

The Warriors opened the third set with a 7-4 lead after a kill from Jansky.  The Trojans went on a 6-1 scoring tear to overtake the 10-8 lead after Grage's kill, forcing MU to burn their first timeout.  Midland overtook the lead and went through a see-saw battle.

Down 18-17, Dakota State erupted for five straight points to regain their lead at 22-18 after a block from Hannah Evans and H. Wathen.

DSU would close the third set with a 3-1 run, capped by a kill from Grage for a 25-21 victory.  The Trojans extended the match into the fourth set, thanks to their impressive .400 hitting percentage (18 kills with two errors in 40 attempts).  Midland was held to .184 hitting percentage (16 kills with seven errors in 49 swings).

Dakota State and Midland went back-and-forth battle in the fourth set.  After Brooklyn Snyder's kill to put the Warriors up 18-15, the Trojans used a 5-0 scoring run to regain their lead at 20-18 after H. Wathen's kill.

DSU grabbed a 23-21 lead after MU committed an attack error, forcing Midland to call a timeout. The Warriors would close the match by scoring the final four points, with three kills from Snyder including the match clincher for a 25-23 victory.

Midland outhit Dakota State 17-11 in the fourth set.  The Warriors hit .153 (eight errors in 59 swings) compared to the Trojans; .078 hitting percentage (seven errors in 51 attempts).

Grage led the Trojans with 14 kills and hit .256 in the match.  She also had two blocks.  H. Wathen added 13 kills and a career-high seven blocks.  Schell finished the match with 11 kills and posted a double-double of 20 digs.  She finished her stellar career as DSU's all-time kills leader with 1,498 kills.  She also finished with 1,682 digs during her career, fifth all-time in DSU school record book.  She added four service aces in the match.

M. Wathen smashed six kills and collected six blocks for DSU.  Evans registered seven blocks.  Tristyn Maras had seven kills and two blocks. 

Groft produced 23 set assists and eight digs for Dakota State.  She finished her career with 3,040 set assists, which is third all-time in DSU women's volleyball school record book.  Maddi Langerock posted a double-double of 22 set assist and 10 digs. 

Kate VanRooyan collected 30 digs for the Trojans.  Logan Conlin added 13 digs.

Snyder smashed 21 kills in the match for Midland.  Apel added 13 kills and seven blocks.  Abbey Ringler had 12 kills.  Brena Mackling had a double-double of 24 set assists and 11 digs.  Stella Kuehl added 31 assists and seven digs.

Vallinch tallied 30 digs for the Warriors.  Kailyn Scott added 18 digs.  Delainey Cast had 17 digs.  Jansky had six blocks, while Ringer added five blocks.

Midland outhit Dakota State 65-53 in the match.  The Warriors hit .204 (24 errors in 201 swings) compared to the Trojans .143 hitting percentage (26 errors in 189 attempts).

Both teams recorded 13 team blocks in the match.  The Trojans had five service aces to the Warriors four service aces. 

MU collected 102 total digs compared to DSU 96 total digs.