August 17, 2024

Photo credit by SportsMediaDB

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Dakota State (S.D.) closed out their two-day Keiser (Fla.) Vipers Sports Academy Classic Saturday evening, winning the battle of the Trojans with Taylor (Ind.) at Student Life Center.  DSU swept Taylor in three straight sets by the scores of 25-22, 25-22, and 25-16.  It was the first three-set sweep this season.

Dakota State, receiving votes in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, finished the tournament with a 2-2 record.  Taylor, a member of the Crossroads League, fell to 1-2 overall record.

DSU won for the first time in the series meeting with Taylor, evening the all-time record to 1-1 (Taylor defeated Dakota State in the Viterbo, Wis., tournament in 2022).

DSU plays at home next Saturday, hosting rival (RV) Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) in the home opener.  The junior varsity kicks off at 1 p.m., followed by the varsity contest at 3 p.m.  Both matches will be held at DSU Fieldhouse.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Taylor (Ind.) 0 – FINAL (25-22, 25-22, 25-16)

Dakota State kicked off the first set by opening with a 5-2 lead after Brooklyn Grage's kill.  Taylor trimmed DSU's lead to 5-4 after a pair of kills.

Trailing 9-7, Dakota State mounted a 6-1 scoring run to regain their lead to 13-10, sparked by a pair of kills from Sophie Tuttle. 

After a 13-13 tie, DSU went on an 8-2 scoring run to widen their lead to 21-15.  Tuttle smashed a kill as Dakota State closed the first set at 25-22, halting Taylor's later comeback attempt.

Dakota State smashed 17 kills in the opening set and .196 hitting percentage (8 attack errors in 46 attempts).  Taylor recorded .146 killing efficiency after registering 12 kills and six errors in 41 swings.

TU started the second set by scoring three straight points before Grage smashed a kill (DSU trailed 3-1).  Taylor maintained their lead throughout the second set before DSU charged late. 

Taylor posted the biggest lead of the second set at 20-15.  Dakota State answered with a 7-1 monstrous scoring run to grab a 22-21 lead.  Reagan Kleiman smashed a kill to tie the second set at 22-22.

DSU closed the second set with a 3-0 scoring run, capped by a kill from Tuttle and Tristyn Maras for another 25-22 victory and extended their match lead to 2-0.

Dakota State outhit Taylor 15-10 in the second set and .219 to .129 in hitting percentage.

DSU used a fast start in the third set, fueled by a kill from Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri and Grage and went on to score five straight points for a 5-0 lead. 

Dakota State never trailed in the third set to secure the victory in three straight sets.  Taylor could get no closer than two points at 8-6 after Lindsay Springer's kill.

DSU's lead grew to 18-10 after Kate VanRooyan's service ace.  Dakota State closed the match by scoring the final three points of the third set, earning a 25-16 victory.

Both teams smashed 13 kills in the third set.  DSU hit an impressive .324 by committing just two attack errors in 34 swings.  TU was held to .116 hitting percentage with eight attack errors in 43 attempts.

Grage paced Dakota State with 10 kills and hit .444 in the match.  Tuttle added 10 kills.  Sydney Schell and Vongkasemsiri each added seven kills.  Maras had six kills.

Maddi Langerock had 19 set assists and five digs for DSU.  Madalyn Groft added 16 assists and three digs. 

VanRooyan led Dakota State's defense with 16 digs.  Schell added 13 digs and three blocks.  Macey Wathen had four blocks.

Grace Ieremia recorded 12 kills and a .476 hitting percentage for Taylor.  Kleiman added eight kills.  Springer contributed 24 set assists, nine digs, and five kills.  McKaylah Flagle collected 14 digs.  Alexa Mader recorded four blocks.

Dakota State had 10 more kills than Taylor (45-35).  DSU hit .241 (18 attack errors in 112 swings) while TU was limited to .130 hitting percentage (20 errors in 115 attempts).  Both teams had six blocks and one service ace.