September 20, 2024
BELLEVUE, Neb. –
Hannah Evans tied the Dakota State (S.D.) single match school record in most blocks (11 blocks) Friday evening, despite falling short in a five-set thriller with nationally-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) in the North Star Athletic Association women's volleyball conference season opener at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. The Bruins won by the set scores of 20-25, 25-18, 25-22, 22-25, and 15-11.
Dakota State, receiving votes (RV) in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, was playing their first match since Sept. 10. The Trojans fell to 8-6 overall record and 0-1 NSAA conference record. Bellevue, ranked No. 8 in the national poll, ballooned their winning streak to nine matches and lifted their overall record to 13-2 and 1-0 NSAA.
DSU remains at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center Saturday afternoon for a neutral non-conference volleyball match with Kansas Wesleyan. The first serve is set for 1 p.m.
(8) Bellevue (Neb.) 3, (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL (20-25, 25-18, 25-22, 22-25, 15-11)
Trailing 8-6 in the early going of the first set, Dakota State ignited a 5-0 scoring run to regain an 11-8 lead.
Hailey Wathen smashed a kill, followed by a service ace by
Kate VanRooyan, a kill from
Brooklyn Grage and
Macey Wathen and closed the run with a block from Grage and M. Wathen.
Bellevue could get no closer than one point in the first at 13-12 after Kealy Kiviniemi's kill. The Trojans went on 9-3 scoring tear, including a 5-0 scoring run capped by Evans' kill for a 22-15 lead.
The Bruins then scored four straight points to cut DSU's lead to 22-19. Dakota State would close the first set with a 3-1 run, ending with a kill from Grage for a 25-20 victory and 1-0 match lead.
DSU outhit BU 16-13 in the first set. The Trojans hit .216 (5 errors in 51 attempts) and held the Bruins to .150 hitting efficiency (7 errors in 40 swings).
Dakota State and Bellevue traded leads or tied in the first 13 rallies. With DSU leading 7-6, BU used a 6-1 scoring run to grab a 12-8 lead after Kiviniemi's kill.
The Bruins never trailed for the rest of the second set, evening the match at 1-1 after a 25-18 victory. Bellevue smashed 17 kills and hit .226 (5 errors in 53 swings) compared to Dakota State 11 kills and .152 hitting efficiency (4 errors in 46 attempts).
DSU and BU went through a see-saw battle in the third set through 38 rallies, with the lead no greater than three points by the Trojans at 6-3 (after a block from Evans and Grage). M. Wathen smashed a kill to knot the third set at 19-19 for DSU.
Eve Fountain capped BU's 4-0 scoring run to open a 23-19 lead, while DSU was forced to burn a pair of timeouts during the scoring run.
Down 24-20, the Trojans saved two set points after a kill from
Madalyn Groft followed by a block from Evans and Grage (BU led 24-22). Kenzie Polk closed the third set with a kill for Bellevue 25-22 victory, gaining a 2-1 match lead.
BU hit .205 in the third set (16 kills with 7 errors in 44 swings) compared to DSU .200 hitting percentage (12 kills with 4 errors in 40 attempts).
Bellevue roared to a 10-2 opening lead in the fourth set, including scoring the first five points for a 5-0 lead. The Trojans would mount a furious comeback to force the fifth and deciding set.
Dakota State rallied back within three points, trailing at 15-12 after a block from Evans and
Sydney Schell in the fourth set. After Bellevue scored a point for a 16-12 lead, the Trojans went on a 4-0 scoring run to tie the fourth set at 16-16 after a service ace by Groft.
The Bruins answered with a 4-1 run to widen their lead to 20-17 after Morgan Wale's kill in the fourth.
Down 21-19, Dakota State used a monstrous 6-1 outburst to force the deciding set. The Trojans scored the final three points of the fourth set, fueled by BU's service error, followed by a kill from Schell and closed with a kill from M. Wathen for a 25-22 victory.
Dakota State hit .160 in the fourth set (14 kills with 6 errors in 50 swings). Bellevue registered a hitting percentage of .135 (15 kills with 8 errors in 52 attempts).
DSU and BU battled back and forth in the fifth set, with the lead no greater than two points by Bellevue. Dakota State trailed 7-6 after a kill by Grage.
Bellevue went on a 4-1 scoring run, stretching their lead to 11-7 and never trailed for the rest of the fifth set. As the Trojans saved two match points (DSU trailed 14-11), the Bruins secured the match victory as Fountain smashed a kill for a 15-11 victory.
BU outhit DSU 10-6 in the deciding set. The Bruins hit .316 (4 errors in 19 swings) and limited the Trojans to .143 hitting percentage (3 errors in 21 attempts).
Evans collected a career-high 11 blocks in the match for Dakota State, tying the single match school record with Hannah Viet vs. Presentation (S.D.) on Sept. 21, 2022.
Grage smashed a season-high 16 kills for the Trojans. She hit .300 in the match and added six blocks. Schell posted a double-double of 11 kills and 20 digs. She tallied seven blocks. Groft nearly registered a triple-double with season-highs of 30 set assists, 19 digs, and nine kills. M. Wathen collected 11 kills and three blocks. H. Wathen had eight kills.
Maddi Langerock produced a double-double of 21 set assists and 15 digs for DSU. VanRooyan recorded 17 digs.
Reagan VanRooyan added eight digs. Groft and K. VanRooyan each registered two service aces.
Fountain sparked the Bruins with a double-double of 21 kills and 25 digs. She also had two service aces and two blocks. Kiviniemi added 19 kills and two blocks. Polk had 11 kills.
Mila Aiwohi contributed 36 set assists and eight digs for Bellevue. Victoria Runyan added 28 set assists and 12 digs for a double-double. Taylan Keefer had match-highs 26 digs and three service aces.
Bellevue outhit Dakota State 71-59 in the match. The Bruins hit .192 (31 attack errors in 208 attempts) compared to the Trojans .178 hitting efficiency (22 attack errors in 208 swings).
BU had eight service aces to DSU four service aces. The Trojans tied a season-high 16 blocks to the Bruins five blocks. Bellevue collected 115 digs to DSU 90 digs.
