September 21, 2024

BELLEVUE, Neb. – Dakota State (S.D.) hit a season-high .349 and committed just seven attack errors, rolling to a 3-0 sweep over Kansas Wesleyan in a non-conference neutral volleyball contest at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.  The Trojans swept the Coyotes by the set scores of 25-18, 25-17, and 25-21.

Dakota State, receiving votes (RV) in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, improved their overall record to 9-6.  The Trojans are 2-0 record against members of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (defeated current No. 23 McPherson, Kan., in three straight sets last month.  KWU fell to 9-5 and will play host-team No. 8 ranked Bellevue (Neb.) in the second match Saturday afternoon.

DSU remains on the road Tuesday evening as they play another non-conference match.  The Trojans visit Mount Marty (S.D.) with a junior varsity match at 6 p.m., followed by the varsity match at 7:30 p.m.  The matches will be held at Cimpl Arena in Yankton, S.D.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 3, Kansas Wesleyan 0 – FINAL (25-18, 25-17, 25-21)

Macey Wathen and Sydney Schell smashed back-to-back kills to give the Trojans a 9-5 opening lead in the first set.  The Coyotes answered with a 4-0 scoring run, capped by a kill from Gianna Adriaanse to knot the first set at 9-9.

Tied at 14-14, Dakota State went on a 5-1 scoring tear to stretch their lead to 19-15 after Schell's kill.  The Trojans never trailed for the rest of the first set, closing with a 4-1 run.  Brooklyn Grage smashed a kill to close the first set with a 25-18 victory, earning a 1-0 match lead.

DSU did not commit an attack error in the opening set, hitting an astounding .459 with 17 kills in 37 swings.  KWU was held to .175 hitting percentage (14 kills with 7 errors in 40 attempts).

Dakota State erupted for four straight points to kick off the second set and ballooned their lead to 7-1 after Kate VanRooyan's service ace.  The Trojans widened their lead to 12-4 after Wathen's service ace.

Leading 12-5, the Trojans went on a 5-0 scoring tear capped by Logan Conlin's service ace for the biggest lead of the second set at 17-5.  Conlin registered aces during DSU's scoring run.

DSU never trailed in the second set, grabbing a 2-0 match lead.  Tristyn Maras smashed a kill to close the second set for a 25-17 victory.

Dakota State hit an impressive .393 in the second set with 13 kills and committed two attack errors in 28 attempts.  KWU registered a .286 hitting percentage with 12 kills and four attack errors in 28 swings.

DSU and Kansas Wesleyan traded scoring runs in the third set before the Trojans pulled down at the end.  Up 19-17, the Trojans extended their lead to 23-19 after Schell's kill.  She added a kill to set up a match point opportunity at 24-20.

After the Coyotes scored a point (DSU led 24-21). Wathen smashed a kill to close the match to secure a 3-0 sweep for DSU at 25-21.

Kansas Wesleyan outhit Dakota State 15-14 in the third set, but the Trojans hit better.  DSU hit .220 (5 errors in 41 attempts) compared to KWU .136 hitting percentage (9 errors in 44 attempts).

Schell paced Dakota State with a double-double of 13 kills and 15 digs.  She hit .429 in the match.  Wathen added 11 kills and hit .440.  Maras had seven kills and registered .467 hitting percentage.  Grage had six kills.  Macey Wathen tallied five kills.

Madalyn Groft contributed 19 set assists and six digs for DSU.  Maddi Langerock added 18 set assists and four digs.  Kate VanRooyan collected 10 digs.  VanRooyan and Schell each recorded two service aces.  M. Wathen and Hannah Evans each had four blocks.  Maras added three blocks.

Kate Bebout led the Coyotes with 11 kills and seven digs.  Rylee Serpan added 10 kills.  Adriaanse had eight kills.  Josie Deckinger produced 26 assists and nine digs.  Tristyn Hdman collected 17 digs.

Dakota State smashed 44 kills with seven errors in 106 swings (.349 hitting percentage).  Kansas Wesleyan was limited to .188 hitting percentage (41 kills with 20 errors in 112 swings).

DSU had nine service aces in the match compared to KWU two aces.  The Trojans collected eight blocks to the Coyotes one block.