October 16, 2026
MADISON, S.D. — Dakota State (S.D.) used a balanced offensive attack with four different hitters with double digits kills and strong defensive performance with four players with double digits digs to defeat Carroll (Mont.) in four sets Friday evening in a Frontier Conference women's volleyball match at the DSU Fieldhouse.
The Trojans earned 29-27, 25-21, 20-25 and 25-23 victory over the Fighting Saints, improving their overall record to 13-8 and 10-5 in Frontier Conference play. Carroll fell to 14-8 overall and 9-6 in conference action.
How it happened
The Trojans overcame a late deficit in the opening set to secure a thrilling 29-27 victory. Trailing 20-17, Dakota State rallied for six consecutive points, highlighted by a
Gabi Borresen service ace, to take a 23-20 lead.
Carroll battled back to tie the set at 23-23 and forced several additional ties. With the score knotted at 27-27,
Raya Van Beek delivered a kill to give the Trojans set point. A Carroll attack error sealed the opening-set victory.
A total of 16 ties and seven lead changes were recorded in the opening set. The Saints outhit the Trojans 19-16.
Dakota State carried its momentum into the second set, overcoming an early 5-2 deficit thanks to CC's 5-0 scoring run after the Trojans' 2-0 lead. Both teams battled through eight ties and four lead changes. In the second set.
Leading 17-16, Dakota State went on a 7-3 scoring run to set up the set point at 24-19 after Van Beek's kill. Van Beek closed the first set with a kill, giving DSU a 2-0 lead after a 25-21 victory.
Dakota State hit .250 in the second set (14 kills with 3 errors in 44 swings) and held Carrol to .081 hitting percentage (13 kills with 10 errors in 49 attempts).
At 4-4 in the third set, the Saints went on a monstrous 8-0 scoring run to open a 12-4 lead after Sofia Kimmel's service ace. Trailing 13-5, the Trojans answered with an 8-0 scoring run to knot the third set at 13-13 after a block by
Kaedyn Sapp and
Macey Wathen.Â
Carroll pulled out late and responded with a 25-20 victory in the third set to extend the match. The Saints hit .205 in the third set (13 kills with 5 errors in 39 attempts) compared to the Trojans .114 hitting percentage (12 kills with 8 errors in 35 attempts).
DSU opened the fourth set with an 11-5 lead and held off CC's late comeback.
In the fourth set, Dakota State broke a 19-19 tie with four kills, sparked by
Emily Nelson's kill followed by three consecutive kills from Sapp to build a 22-19 advantage.
Carroll narrowed the deficit to 23-22 before Van Beek delivered a kill for match point at 24-22. After the Saints saved one match point, an attack error by Carroll's Sofia Kimmel secured the Trojans' victory.
Dakota State outhit hit Carroll 19-10 in the fourth set.
By the numbers
Van Beek led Dakota State's offense with a match-high .619 hitting percentage, recording a season-high 14 kills with just one attack error in 21 attempts.
Tristyn Maras added 12 kills, while Sapp and
Lauryn Kloth each contributed 10 kills.
Rylee Thompson finished with nine kills.
Kate VanRooyan anchored DSU's defense with a match-high 28 digs and seven set assists. She became the second all-time digs leader at Dakota State with 2,108 career digs, surpassing Sonja Kamrud's 2,086 digs.
Borresen contributed 22 set assists, 17 digs and two service aces, while Nelson registered 26 assists and 14 digs. Borresen and Nelson each produced a double-double.
Carroll was paced by Birdie Heuiser, who registered 15 kills, a .333 hitting percentage and seven block assists. Lauren Heuiser added 10 kills and four block assists, while McKaila Balcom contributed nine kills.
Lauren Fox recorded 30 set assists, 15 digs (double-double) and two service aces for the Saints. Kimmel finished with 19 digs, seven kills and three service aces, while Norah Allen added 18 digs.
DSU outhit CC 61-55. Carroll held an 11-5 advantage in team blocks and a 7-2 edge in service aces. Dakota State committed 26 attack errors (.189 hitting percentage) compared with Carroll's 29 (.139 hitting percentage).
The Trojans were 95.9 percent at the serving line (4 serving errors) to the Saints 92.8 percent at the serving line (7 service errors).
Up next
Dakota State closes out their three-match Frontier Conference volleyball home stand Saturday afternoon versus Rocky Mountain (Mont.). First serve is set for 2 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse. Camouflage is the theme for volleyball match.
