November 8, 2025

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – (RV) Dakota State (S.D.) battled through a five-set Frontier Conference regular-season thriller Saturday afternoon, but Valley City State (N.D.) held off the Trojans in the deciding frame for a 3–2 victory (20-25, 25-23, 25-18, 13-25, 15-13) inside W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.

Dakota State (16-12, 12-10 Frontier) put together one of its most efficient offensive outings of conference play, finishing with 73 kills, .243 attack percentage, and 111 digs as a team. Valley City State (13-14, 11-11 Frontier) answered with 71 kills and 115 digs, while generating 10.0 team blocks compared to DSU's 6.0.
  Set 1 Highlights
Dakota State surged ahead with a balanced attack, jumping out to an early lead behind kills from Sophie Tuttle, Tristyn Maras, and Macey Wathen. The Trojans hit .348 in the opening frame and led by as many as five points, earning a 25-20 set one victory to take a 1-0 match lead.
  Set 2 Highlights
The second set swung back-and-forth, with DSU's block and transition offense generating momentum. However, Valley City State's Macy Fridgen took control down the stretch, and the Vikings strung together key late points to even the match after earning a 25-23 victory.
  Set 3 Highlights
Fridgen continued to heat up with multiple kills in transition as VCSU built separation mid-set. DSU stayed within reach behind Maras and Tuttle, but the Vikings' offense finished strong to take a 2–1 match lead after 25-18 victory.
  Set 4 Highlights
Dakota State responded with its best defensive set of the day. Halle Bruflat, Ashley Wangler, and Macey Wathen contributed timely blocks, while Maddi Langerock controlled pace to spread scoring. DSU hit .298 in the frame and forced a decisive fifth with a 25-18 set four victory.
  Set 5 Highlights
The final set featured nine ties, with both teams trading swings and defensive stops. DSU led early, but VCSU produced the final push behind its right-side attack, clinching the match on the final rally for 15-13 victory.
  Dakota State Leaders

• Sophie Tuttle – 19 kills, 7 digs, 2 blocks (team-high 20.0 points)
• Tristyn Maras – 18 kills, 4 digs (18.0 points)
• Macey Wathen – 13 kills, 4 blocks, and 6 digs (15.0 points)
• Halle Bruflat – 12 kills, 3 blocks (13.5 points)
• Ashley Wangler – 3 kills, 2 blocks
• Maddi Langerock – 49 assists, 21 digs (season high), 8 kills (.500 hitting); Langerock surpassed Madalyn Groft (3,040 assists) as the third all-time set assists with 3,076 career assists.
• Kate VanRooyan – 36 digs (tied career high), 1 ace

Dakota State totaled 69 assists (led by Langerock), 111 digs, and 6.0 total team blocks. Valley City State Leaders

• Macy Fridgen – 28 kills (.361)
• Danielle Hagler – 13 kills, 7 blocks
• Emma Lucas – 7 kills, 5 blocks
• JayCee Richter – 33 digs

The Vikings finished with 10.0 blocks and 115 digs defensively. Up Next
Dakota State finished in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Frontier Conference Women's Volleyball with Montana Tech and Carroll (Mont.).  The Trojans owned the tiebreaker, via with numbers of sets won with MT and CC.

DSU, as the No. 4 seed, opens their post-season conference tournament play in the quarterfinals round Thursday afternoon versus No. 5 seed Montana Tech.  The match is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. (Central Time)/2:30 p.m. (Mountain Time).

The three-day single elimination tournament format will be played at Carroll College PE Center in Helena, Mont., from Thursday through next Saturday.  The winner of the postseason tournament (besides if Providence win the tournament, the runner-up will receive the automatic bid) will earn the second automatic bid to the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Tournament Opening Round on Saturday, Nov. 22, at campus sites.