August 28, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – Morningside (Iowa) outhit Dakota State (S.D.) 31-20 in the final two sets to pull away past Dakota State (S.D.) 3-1 Wednesday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Mustangs won by the set scores of 25-19, 20-25, 25-19, and 25-16.

Dakota State suffered its first home setback of the season, falling to 3-3 overall record.  Morningside raised their overall record to 8-1.  Both teams were listed in the receiving votes (RV) section of the 2024 NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll.

The Trojans won the junior varsity match by the set scores of 25-17, 16-25, and 15-9 to raise their overall record to 2-0.

Dakota State will take their varsity and junior varsity teams in the Siouxland Invitational Friday and Saturday, with each team playing four matches.  The Trojans' varsity team play York (Neb.) at 11 a.m. and (RV) Benedictine (Kan.) at 1:30 p.m. Friday afternoon at the United Sports Academy in North Sioux City, S.D.

DSU's junior varsity team plays McPherson (Kan.) at 12 p.m. and Dickinson State (N.D.) at 6 p.m. on the same day.

(RV) Morningside (Iowa) 3, (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 1 – FINAL (25-19, 20-25, 25-19, 25-16)

DSU and MU went through three ties and one change in the first eight rallies.  The Mustangs used a 6-0 scoring run to grab a 10-4 lead.

Morningside never trailed for the rest of the first set, grabbing a 1-0 match lead after a 25-19 victory.  The Mustangs hit .188 (14 kills with 5 errors in 48 attempts) compared to the Trojans' .125 hitting efficiency (13 kills with 7 errors in 48 swings).

MU kicked off the second set with a 4-1 lead after a kill from Emerson Smith.  The Trojans came back with 7-4 run to knot at 8-8 after a service error by the Mustangs.

Both teams went back-and-forth throughout the second set with eight ties and three lead changes.  Trailing 17-14, Dakota State went on an 11-3 closing run including scoring the final five points of the second set. 

Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri and Brooklyn Grage capped DSU's strong closing run, including the set point winner at 25-20 to even the match at 1-1.

The Trojans outhit the Mustangs 17-12 in the second set.  DSU posted a hitting percentage of .233 (7 errors in 43 swings) and held MU to .118 hitting efficiency (6 errors in 51 attempts). 

Dakota State and Morningside went through a see-saw battle in the first 23 rallies of the third, registering eight ties and two lead changes.  Tied at 11-11, the Mustangs scored five straight points, highlighted by back-to-back kills by Claire Wilson to open a 16-11 lead.

Sydney Schell smashed a kill as Trojans trailed 21-17 in the third set and could get no closer.  The Mustangs secured the third set at 25-19 to regain their match lead at 2-1.

Morningside outhit Dakota State 15-12 in the third set.  The Mustangs hit .209 (6 errors in 43 attempts) and held the Trojans to .089 hitting percentage (8 errors in 45 swings).

MU erupted for a 7-1 lead after a service ace by Barbora Kozouskova, forcing DSU to call their first timeout of the fourth set.  The Mustangs never trailed in the set and cruised to a 25-16 victory, securing a 3-1 match win.

Morningside smashed 16 kills in the fourth set (.262 hitting percentage) and held Dakota State to eight kills (.049 hitting percentage).

Sophie Tuttle paced the Trojans with a season-high 14 kills.  Schell added nine kills.  Vongkasemsiri recorded seven kills.  Macey Wathen had six kills.  Grage tallied four kills.

Maddi Langerock posted a double-double of 22 set assists and 12 digs for Dakota State.  Madalyn Groft added a double-double of 17 assists and 16 digs. 

Kate VanRooyan led DSU's defense with 32 digs.  Schell added 14 digs.  Vongkasemsiri collected five blocks.  Hannah Evans and Grage each added two blocks.  Groft and Reagan VanRooyan each recorded a service ace.

Wilson smashed 16 kills and hit .341 for Morningside.  Sydney Marlow and Emma Haren each added 12 kills.  Marlow had a double-double with 18 digs.  Aleksandra Dalach had a double-double of 28 set assists and 12 digs.  Kyla Dyrstad added a double-double of 19 assists and 14 digs. 

Dyrstad, Aureana Bernales and Kozouskova each recorded two service aces for MU.  Bernales had 20 digs. 
Morningside outhit Dakota State 57-50 in the match.  The Mustangs hit .190 (22 errors in 184 attempts) compared to the Trojans .124 hitting percentage (28 errors in 177 swings). 

MU was 96.8 percent from the serving line with six service aces and three errors in 94 serves.  DSU hit 96.3 percent from the serving line with two service aces and three errors in 80 attempts.

Dakota State had two more digs than Morningside (89-87).  The Trojans collected five blocks to the Mustangs four blocks.