October 23, 2025
DILLON, Mont. – In a back-and-forth Frontier Conference battle Thursday night, No. 24 Dakota State (S.D.) fell just short on the road as Montana Western outlasted the Trojans in five sets (21-25, 30-28, 25-14, 18-25, 15-11) at Straugh Gymnasium.Â
DSU fell to 14-9 overall record and 10-8 record in the Frontier Conference contests. Montana Western improved to 11-14 overall record and 9-9 record in the league.
Match Summary
The Trojans came out strong, capturing the opening set 25-21 behind efficient hitting and key kills from
Tristyn Maras and
Sophie Tuttle.
Western answered in a dramatic second frame, surviving multiple set points to prevail 30-28 and even the match. The Bulldogs then carried momentum into the third, rolling 25-14 behind a .310 team hitting percentage to take a 2-1 lead.
Dakota State regrouped with a convincing 25-18 win in the fourth to force a decisive fifth, but Western closed strong 15-11 to secure the match.
Team Numbers
Dakota State finished with 59 kills on .141 hitting, compared to Montana Western's 69 kills at .199.
The Trojans tallied 84 digs and 8 team blocks, while the Bulldogs posted 92 digs and 11 blocks.
Trojan Leaders
Dakota State registered five service aces and 14 block assists, while holding Western to three aces and six service errors.
Montana Western Highlights
The Bulldogs spread their offense behind a balanced attack — Kennedy Lingenfelter (13 kills, .367), Averi Look (16 kills), and Maxine Hoagland (11 kills, .286) led the way. Taylor Petersen and Megan Hardman combined for 56 assists, and Madisyn Frazier anchored the defense with 20 digs.
Up Next
Dakota State returns to South Dakota as they conclude their five-match road stretch Monday evening. The Trojans visit their rival (RV) Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) in a non-conference action, starting with the junior varsity match at 5 p.m. and the varsity match to follow at 7 p.m. The matches will be held at the Christian Athletic Center on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan in Mitchell, S.D.
