August 30, 2024

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) kicked off the first day of the Siouxland Invitational volleyball tournament at United Sports Academy by hitting a season high .319 for a 3-0 sweep over York (Neb.).  The Trojans won by the set scores of 25-15, 25-20, and 25-9.

DSU, receiving votes (RV) in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 national poll, improved their overall record to 4-3.  York, a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC), fell to 2-2 overall record.

The Trojans play back-to-back matches as they face (RV) Benedictine (Kan.) of the Heart of America Athletic Conference.  First serve is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

(RV) Dakota State 3, York (Neb.) 0 – FINAL (25-15, 25-20, 25-9)

The Trojans began the match by scoring three straight points, contributed by a kill and a block each from Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri and Sophie Tuttle for a 3-0 lead.

York overtook the lead at 5-4 after an attack error by Dakota State.  The Trojans then went on a 6-1 scoring run to regain their lead at 10-6 after a block from Macey Wathen and Sydney Schell.

DSU never trailed for the rest of the first set, closing the first set with a 6-2 run for a 25-15 victory.  The Trojans hit an impressive .444 (14 kills with two errors in 27 swings) compared to the Panthers .176 hitting percentage (12 kills with six errors in 34 attempts).

York raced to a 5-0 opening lead in the second set, capped by a service ace by Mariah Janda.  Ambar Ortiz added another service ace as the Panthers grabbed the biggest lead of the second set at 8-2.

Dakota State roared back with a 14-3 outburst to overtake the lead.  Madalyn Groft hit a service ace to put Trojans up 16-11.

The Trojans never trailed for the rest of the second set, securing a 25-20 victory after Schell's kill.  DSU extended their match lead to 2-0.

Both teams had 11 kills in the second set, with Dakota State hitting better (.226) than York (.091 hitting percentage).

After a 1-1 tie in the third set, the Trojans scored eight consecutive errors to balloon their lead to 9-1 after a block from Tuttle and Wathen.

Dakota State cruised in the third set, closing with a kill from Tuttle for a 25-9 victory and 3-0 match win.

The Trojans outhit the Panthers 13-6 in the third set.  DSU hit .303 (3 errors in 33 attempts) and held YU to a negative .086 hitting percentage (9 errors in 35 swings).

Wathen powered Dakota State with 10 kills and .667 killing percentage.  Schell added eight kills and 13 digs.  Tuttle, Brooklyn Grage, and Tristyn Maras each added five kills. 

Groft produced 22 set assists and five digs for DSU.  Maddi Langerock added 15 assists and three digs.  Wathen had two service aces and three blocks. 

Vongkasemsiri led the Trojans' defense with four blocks.  Kate VanRooyan tallied nine digs.

Avery Schneider led the Panthers with eight kills.  Branna Lemke added seven kills.  Mariah Janda had 17 set assists and seven digs.  Cassie Richardson had 15 digs.

Dakota State smashed 38 kills in the match and committed just nine attack errors in 91 swings.  York was held to .059 hitting percentage (29 kills with 23 attack errors in 102 attempts).

The Trojans had nine blocks to the Panthers two blocks.