August 31, 2024

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) earned their second victory over NAIA's receiving votes (RV) on their final match of Day 2 Siouxland Invitational Saturday afternoon at United Sports Academy.  The Trojans earned their second straight three-set sweep (their third 3-0 victory in the tournament), defeating McPherson (Kan.) by the set scores of 25-18, 25-21, and 25-16 to finish the tournament with a 3-1 record.

Dakota State closed the month of August with a 6-4 record.  McPherson, a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC), fell to 6-2 record (lost to No. 9 ranked Jamestown, N.D., Friday in the same tournament in four sets, as well as going 1-2 record versus North Star Athletic Association teams – defeated Valley City State, N.D., in three straight sets on Friday).  Both teams received votes' recognition to the national preseason poll.

The Trojans continue their action in their third preseason tournament next weekend. DSU plays a pair of Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference teams in the Viterbo (Wis.) tournament.  Dakota State plays Judson (Ill.) on Friday at 3 p.m. and host-team and former North Star Athletic Association member Viterbo (Wis.) next Saturday at 10 a.m.  Both matches will be held at the R.W. Beggs Gymnasium in La Crosse, Wis.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 3, (RV) McPherson (Kan.) 0 – FINAL

After trailing 3-1 to open the match, Dakota State used three different hitters (Brooklyn Grage, Sydney Schell, and Macey Wathen) during their 4-0 scoring run.  Grage earned her second kill during the run to give the Trojans a 5-3 lead.

The Bulldogs tied the first set at 8-8 after a kill by Enya Fierens.  The Trojans then went on a 4-1 scoring tear, capped by a kill from Schell for a 13-9 lead and forced McPherson to call a timeout.

With DSU leading 15-10, MU rallied back after scoring five straight points (with four kills from four different hitters) to tie the first set at 15-15. 

Dakota State poured in seven straight points as Madalyn Groft earned a kill for a 22-15 lead.  The Trojans closed the first set with a kill from Sophie Tuttle for a 25-18 victory and a 1-0 match lead.

DSU hit .250 in the opening set with 15 kills and five errors in 40 attempts.  McPherson was held to .022 hitting percentage with 10 kills and committed nine attack errors in 46 swings.

Dakota State roared to a 6-0 opening lead in the second set, thanks to a pair of service aces by Groft and a kill each from Schell and Grage.

DSU led 7-1 in the second set and was trimmed by the Bulldogs after their 5-0 run (DSU led 7-6).

The Trojans ballooned their lead to 14-9 after Schell's kill.  McPherson could get no closer than 17-16 as Daniela Jimenez smashed a kill. 

A service error by the Bulldogs gave the Trojans a 25-21 set two victory, extending their match lead to 2-0.

Dakota State did not commit an attack error in the second set, hitting .310 (13 kills in 42 swings).  McPherson collected 17 kills and committed five attack errors in 47 attempts for a hitting efficiency of .255.

DSU and MU went through a closely tight third set after the first 15 rallies.  With DSU leading 8-7, the Trojans ballooned their lead to 13-8 after going on a 5-1 run highlighted by back-to-back kills by Schell.

At 19-15, Dakota State scored five straight points to set up match point opportunity at 24-15.  Schell, Grage, and Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri each contributed a kill or a block during DSU's scoring run.

An attack error by McPherson sealed the victory for Dakota State at 25-16 in the third set.

The Trojans outhit the Bulldogs 16-10 in the third set.  DSU hit .234 (16 kills with 5 errors in 47 attempts), while MU was limited to .070 hitting percentage (10 kills with 7 errors in 43 swings).

Schell and Grage led balanced offense attack with nine kills each for the Trojans.  Vongkasemsiri and Wathen each added seven kills.  Wathen hit .636 in the match, while Vongkasemsiri hit .429.  Tuttle and Tristyn Maras each had five kills.  Maras hit .364.

Groft earned a double-double of 20 set assists and 12 digs for DSU.  She added two service aces.  Maddi Langerock had 10 assists and five digs.  She also had two aces. 

Kate VanRooyan tallied 19 digs for the Trojans' defense.  Schell added 14 digs.  Vongkasemsiri recorded seven blocks.  Schell and Grage each had three blocks.

Luisina Sandron had nine kills for McPherson.  Jimenez added eight kills.  Hadley Waldren registered six kills.

Laney Blake contributed 12 set assists and seven digs for the Bulldogs.  Raegan Murphy added 10 assists.  Celestina Retumban led the defense with 22 digs.  Brooke McHale had 13 digs.

Dakota State smashed 44 kills to McPherson 37 kills.  The Trojans hit .264 (10 errors in 129 attempts) compared to the Bulldogs .118 hitting percentage (21 attack errors in 136 swings). 

DSU registered nine blocks to MU two blocks.  The Trojans had three more digs than the Bulldogs (68-65).