September 10, 2024

MITCHELL, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) completed their season series sweep of rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) in volleyball Tuesday evening, earning a 3-1 road victory at Christian Family Athletic Center.  The Trojans won by the set scores of 25-14, 25-27, 25-22, and 25-18.  It was the first time since the 2014-15 season that DSU had swept the season series with the Tigers (both meetings resulted in 3-1 DSU victories this year and in 2014-15 season home-and-away).

Dakota State, receiving votes (RV) in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, lifted their overall record to 8-5.  It was the fourth win in the last five matches for the Trojans.  Dakota Wesleyan fell to 5-6 overall record.

DSU is off until next Friday evening as they open their North Star Athletic Association season at nationally ranked No. 8 Bellevue (Neb.).  The first serve is set for 6 p.m. at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center in Bellevue, Neb.  The Trojans then will play on the same gym next Saturday evening versus Kansas Wesleyan in a non-conference match.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 1 – FINAL (25-14, 25-27, 25-22, 25-18)

Dakota State and Dakota Wesleyan went through a see-saw battle in the early going of the first set.  Leading 12-10, the Trojans used three different hitters (Hailey Wathen, Madalyn Groft, and Brooklyn Grage) to spark a 4-0 scoring run to balloon their lead to 16-10.

DSU closed the first set with a 6-1 scoring run to secure the first set at 25-19 and maintained a 1-0 match lead.  The Trojans outhit the Tigers 16-9 in the first set.  Dakota State hit .353 (4 attack errors in 34 attempts) and held Dakota Wesleyan to .114 hitting percentage (5 errors in 35 swings).

Holding a slim 6-5 lead in the second set, the Trojans went on to score five straight points to widen their lead to 11-5 after Tristyn Maras' kill.  An attack error by the Tigers gave DSU their biggest lead of the second set at 21-13.

Dakota Wesleyan mounted a monstrous 9-1 scoring run to rally back to knot the second set at 22-22 after Emily Dale's kill.  Maras smashed a kill to end the scoring run to regain DSU's lead to 23-22.

Schell smashed a kill to earn a set point for DSU at 24-23 in the second set.  The Tigers scored the next two points to earn a 25-24 lead.  The Trojans saved a set point after DWU's attack error, tying at 25-25.

DWU scored the next two points to take the second set at 27-25 for a 1-1 match tie.  Both teams struggled offensively in the second set, with the Tigers hitting .088 (15 kills with 9 errors in 68 attempts) and the Trojans recording a .030 hitting efficiency (12 kills with 10 errors in 67 attempts).

DSU and DWU battled back and forth in the first 19 rallies of the third set.  Trailing 11-8, Schell smashed a kill to fuel the Trojans' 5-0 scoring run.  Hailey Wathen smashed back-to-back kills to give Dakota State a 13-11 lead.

Dakota State maintained their lead throughout the third set.  Dakota Wesleyan could get no closer than one point at 23-22 after Karly VanDerWerff's kill.  Brooklyn Grage hit a kill to set up a set point at 24-22 and DSU earned a 2-1 match lead after DWU's attack error for 25-22 victory.

Both teams smashed 13 kills in the third set.  The Trojans hit .122 (7 errors in 49 attempts) compared to the Tigers .106 hitting percentage (8 errors in 47 attempts).

DWU kicked off the fourth set by scoring three straight points for a 3-0 lead and ballooned their lead to 6-2 after Dale's kill.  Behind 9-5, the Trojans went on a 6-1 scoring tear to overtake the lead at 11-10 after Hannah Evans' kill.

Knotted at 11-11, Dakota State went on a 6-2 scoring run to earn a 17-13 lead capped by a block from H. Wathen and Macey Wathen. 

With DSU leading 17-15, the Trojans closed the match by using an 8-3 scoring outburst.  Schell smashed a kill to close the fourth set at 25-18, securing a 3-1 match victory over the Tigers.

Dakota State hit .278 in the fourth set (13 kills and committed three attack errors in 36 swings) and held Dakota Wesleyan to .106 hitting percentage (13 kills with eight attack errors in 47 attempts).

Schell powered the Trojans with a double-double of 15 kills and 24 digs.  She hit .289 in the match and added three set assists.  H. Wathen added 12 kills (tied season-high) and nine digs.  Maras and Grage each had nine kills. 

Groft contributed 27 set assists (tied season high) and six digs for Dakota State.  Maddi Langerock posted a double-double of 15 assists and 11 digs.  Groft, Langerock, M. Wathen, and Schell each recorded a service ace.

Kate VanRooyan led DSU's defense with a season-high 33 digs.  Reagan VanRooyan added a career-high 14 digs.  M. Wathen registered a career-high nine blocks (tied ninth most blocks in a single match).  Grage had six blocks.  Evans tallied five blocks. 

Dale led the Tigers with 13 kills and hit .360 in the match.  Lily Ranschau and Abigail Brunsing each added 10 kills.  Kayleigh Hybertson had a double-double of 45 set assists and 14 digs.  Elizabeth Tyler collected 28 digs.  Presly Pastian had 18 digs.
 
Dakota State outhit Dakota Wesleyan 54-50 in the match.  The Trojans hit .161 (24 attack errors in 186 swings) compared to the Tigers .102 hitting percentage (30 errors in 197 attempts).

DSU tallied 15 blocks to DWU six blocks.  The Trojans collected a season-high 105 digs to the Tigers 97 digs.