August 30, 2024

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – Benedictine (Kan.) held off Dakota State (S.D.) in a five-set thriller Friday afternoon in the second match of the Siouxland Invitational Day 1 at the United Sports Academy.  The Ravens won by the set scores of 19-25, 27-25, 25-20, 14-25, and 15-13.

Dakota State earned a split on the first day of the volleyball tournament, holding an overall record of 4-4.  Benedictine, a member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference, lifted their overall record to 5-1.  Both teams received votes (RV) recognition to the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Preseason Poll.

The Trojans continue their action in the preseason tournament Saturday in the Siouxland Invitational.  Dakota State takes on Haskell (Kan.) at 9 a.m. and wraps up the tournament with a match against (RV) McPherson (Kan.). at 2 p.m.

(RV) Benedictine (Kan.) 3, (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL

Both teams battled back and forth in the early going of the first set before the Trojans pulled away.  Holding a slim 8-7 lead, the Trojans stretched their lead to 13-9 and forced the Ravens to call a timeout.

Tristyn Maras smashed a kill to widen DSU's lead to 18-12 and never trailed.  Dakota State took a 1-0 match as Macey Wathen recorded a kill (assisted by Madalyn Groft) for a 25-19 victory.

The Trojans hit .310 in the first set with 16 kills and committed three attack errors in 42 swings.  The Ravens hit .167 with 15 kills and eight errors in 42 attempts.

BU opened the second set with a 4-1 lead after DSU's attack errors.  Benedictine widened their lead to 14-9 before Dakota State trimmed their lead to 14-12 after Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri's kill.

Trailing 16-12, the Trojans stormed with a 5-0 scoring run capped by a kill by Wathen.  DSU earned a 17-16 lead and forced the Ravens to call a timeout.

Both teams went through a see-saw battle as the Ravens held off the Trojans 27-25 to even the match at 1-1.

DSU outhit BU 18-16 in the second set.  Benedictine registered a hitting percentage of .371, while Dakota State hit .250.

The Ravens jumped to an 8-4 lead in the third set.  The Trojans answered with a 7-3 run to overtake a 12-11 lead after Brooklyn Grage's kill.  BU then went on a 5-1 scoring run to regain their lead at 16-13.

Benedictine ballooned their lead to 21-14 and earned a 25-20 victory to gain a 2-1 match lead.  The Ravens outhit the Trojans 15-8 in the third set.

With Dakota State leading 16-14 in the fourth set, the Trojans used a 9-0 outburst to force the fifth and deciding set.  The Ravens committed six attack errors during DSU's scoring run, highlighted by Maras' block for a 25-14 victory.

BU was held to a negative .053 hitting percentage with nine kills and committed 11 attack errors in 38 swings.  DSU registered a hitting efficiency of .200 (10 kills with 4 errors in 30 attempts).

Benedictine started the deciding set with a 5-1 lead and ballooned their lead to 9-5, forcing Dakota State to call a timeout.

Dakota State mounted a furious comeback with a 7-2 scoring run to overtake a 12-11 lead after a kill from Vongkasemsiri. 

DSU led 13-12 after a block from Vongkasemsiri and Brooklyn Grage.  The Ravens answered by closing the fifth set with a 3-0 scoring run, capped by a kill from Mahala Sewell for a 15-13 victory.

Benedictine outhit Dakota State 11-8 in the fifth set.

Tuttle and Schell each smashed 13 kills for Dakota State.  Schell posted a double-double with 20 digs.  Grage and Vongkasemsiri each added nine kills.  Maras had eight kills and Wathen seven kills.

Vongkasemsiri collected a match-high nine blocks in the match, tied for ninth most single match blocks in DSU volleyball school record book.  Grage added seven blocks.  Maras and Wathen each tallied six blocks.

Madalyn Groft earned a double-double of 29 set assists and 12 digs for Dakota State.  Maddi Langerock had 18 set assists and eight digs.  Kate VanRooyan had 19 digs.  Reagan VanRooyan collected three service aces.

Four Benedictine players hit double digits in kills, lied by Maura Lickteig with 15 kills.  Regan Bruggeman and Hokulani Sagapolu each added 13 kills.  Mahala Sewell recorded 12 kills.

Haley Cahill registered a double-double of 26 set assists and 13 digs for BU.  Amber Allen had 20 assists.

Benedictine had six more kills than Dakota State (66-60).  However, the Trojans hit better (.181 – 26 errors in 188 attempts) compared to the Ravens (.168 – 34 attack errors in 190 swings).

DSU hit six service aces to BU three service aces.  The Trojans had 16 blocks compared to the Ravens nine blocks.  Benedictine collected 90 digs compared to Dakota State 77 digs.