September 4, 2026
MADISON, S.D. — Dakota State (S.D.) opened the 22-match Frontier Conference women's volleyball season Friday evening, sweeping Dickinson State (N.D.) in three straight sets at the DSU Fieldhouse.
The Trojans rolled to a 25-13 victory in the opening set before holding off the Blue Hawks 25-20 in the second set. Dakota State completed the sweep with a 25-23 victory in the third set.
Dakota State improved to 4-3 overall and 1-0 in Frontier Conference play, snapping their three-match losing skid. Dickinson State fell to 2-7 overall and 1-1 in conference action.
It was the Trojans' seventh straight home victory over the Blue Hawks at DSU Fieldhouse in the series meeting, all resulted in 3-0 sweeps since 2021.
How it happened
Dakota State quickly erased an early 1-0 deficit in the opening set, using
Sydney Wathen's service rotation to spark a 7-0 run.
Lauryn Kloth and
Kaedyn Sapp combined four kills during the surge, while Wathen added a service ace as the Trojans opened a 7-1 advantage.
The Trojans continued to pull away, extending their lead to 15-4 following
Reagan VanRooyan's service ace and an
Emily Nelson kill.
Dakota State never allowed the Blue Hawks to get back into the set.
Tristyn Maras' kill pushed the Trojans to set point at 24-12 before Kloth closed the opening frame with a kill for a 25-13 victory.
DSU produced its best offensive set of the match in the opener, pounding down 17 kills with just four errors in 36 attempts for a .361 hitting percentage. Dickinson State was held to nine kills and a .118 hitting percentage.
The Trojans carried their momentum into the second set, building an early 5-1 advantage. Dickinson State gradually trimmed the deficit and eventually tied the set at 15-15.
Dakota State responded by scoring four of the next five points for a 19-16 advantage. The Trojans stretched their lead to 22-17 behind consecutive points, including a kill from
Kaylee Evenson and Kloth.
Dickinson State got within four points at 24-20 before
Macey Wathen finished the set with a kill from Nelson, giving Dakota State a 25-20 victory and a 2-0 match lead.
The Blue Hawks produced their strongest push in the third set. Dickinson State built a 21-19 advantage before Dakota State mounted its comeback.
Kloth's kill trimmed the deficit to 21-20. After the Blue Hawks scored again, Kloth and Sapp delivered back-to-back kills to tie the set at 22-22.
Dickinson State regained the lead at 23-22, but the Trojans answered with the final three points. Kloth tied the set with a kill from Nelson, followed by
Kate VanRooyan's service ace for match point. Sapp and M. Wathen teamed up for a block on the final rally, securing the 25-23 victory and the three-set sweep.
A total of 11 ties and five lead changes were recorded in the third set.
Inside the box score
Dakota State finished the match with a .215 hitting percentage, recording 43 kills and 17 attack errors in 121 attempts. Dickinson State was limited to a .070 hitting percentage with 32 kills and 23 errors in 128 swings.
The Trojans held advantages of 43-32 in kills, 66-55 in digs and 8-3 in total blocks. Both teams registered three service aces.
Sapp and Kloth powered the Trojan offense with 12 kills apiece.
DSU's Kloth was nearly unstoppable offensively, committing just one error on 17 swings for a match-high .647 hitting percentage. She also contributed five block assists.
Sapp hit .345 with 12 kills on 29 attempts and added four block assists for the Trojans. Kloth registered a hitting percentage of .647.
Nelson tallied seven kills, 19 assists, 16 digs and two block assists for Dakota State.
Gabi Borresen added 14 assists and eight digs.
K. VanRooyan led Dakota State's back-row defense with 17 digs and added six set assists and a service ace. S. Wathen collected nine digs and an ace, while R. VanRooyan finished with four digs and an ace.
Macey Wathen recorded four kills and two block assists, while
Raya Van Beek added three kills and a block assist. Evenson registered three kills and the Trojans' lone solo block.
Dickinson State was led by Ashtynn Egan, Carmen Pallone and Aubrey Allison with seven kills apiece. Paige Rose paced the Blue Hawks with 17 digs, while Egan added 13 digs.
Rylee Kogolshak produced 25 assists, six digs, three kills and a service ace for the Blue Hawks.
Up next
Dakota State closes their three-match home stand on Saturday afternoon versus Bismarck State (N.D.). First serve is set for 2 p.m. Neon is the theme for the volleyball match.
