SIOUX CITY, IA (dsuathletics.com) – Madalyn Groft posted her second career triple-double while Sydney Schell and Maddi Langerock each added a double-double, but it was not enough as Dakota State (S.D.) fell in a five-set non-conference volleyball match over Morningside (Iowa) at RVSC-Allee Gym Wednesday evening. The Trojans earned a 2-0 match lead after winning two closely tight sets before the Mustangs rallied back with a 3-2 victory.
DSU earned 25-22 and 29-27 victories in the first two sets. MU stormed back by winning the next three sets 25-15, 25-18, and 15-11 highlighted with over. 350 hitting percentage in the third and fifth sets.
Dakota State, who is in the middle of their seven-match stretch against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, fell to 1-2 overall record. Morningside improved to 3-2 overall record.
DSU plays their first home matches of the season Saturday as they host the North Star/GPAC Cross-Over. The Trojans hosts Dordt (Iowa) at 11 a.m. and Mount Marty (S.D.) at 5 p.m. NSAA’s fellow Mayville State (N.D.) plays Dordt at 1 p.m. and Mount Marty at 3 p.m.
Morningside (Iowa) 3, Dakota State (S.D.) 2 – FINAL (25-22, 29-27, 25-15, 25-18, 15-11)
After trading leads in the early going of the first set, Dakota State opened with a 10-6 lead after an attack error by the Mustangs. The Trojans extended their lead to 18-13. MU trimmed DSU’s lead to 18-16, forcing the Trojans to take a timeout.
Holding a slim 23-22 lead, DSU closed the first set by scoring two straight points sparked by a kill from Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri followed by MU’s attack error for 25-22 victory and 1-0 match lead.
Dakota State and Morningside battled back and forth in the second set, featuring 14 ties. Trailing 22-21, the Trojans went on to score three straight points to set up their set point opportunity at 24-22 after a block assist from Vongkasemsiri and Groft.
Morningside was forced to call a timeout and answered by scoring the next three points for their set opportunity to knot the match at 25-24. Schell smashed a kill followed by Vongkasemsiri’s kill to regain another set point chance at 26-25. MU scored the next two points to earn a 27-26 lead.
DSU sparked a 3-0 closing run, ignited by Groft’s kill followed by Julia Drietz’s service ace, and an attack error by the Mustangs for a 2-0 match lead after a thrilling second set at 29-27. The Trojans outhit the Mustangs 21-14.
Morningside forced the match into the fourth set after winning the third set at 25-15, thanks to their .333 hitting percentage in the set. The Mustangs held the Trojans to .098 hitting percentage (11 kills with seven errors in 41 attempts).
Keira Murdock smashed a kill to give DSU an 8-7 lead in the fourth set. The Mustangs then went on a monstrous 8-0 scoring run to grab a 15-8 lead and never trailed for the rest of the season. MU captured the fourth set with a 25-18 victory to force the fifth and deciding set.
The Trojans and the Mustangs battled through four ties and two lead changes in the first 16 points of the fifth set, knotted at 8-8 after Groft’s kill and service ace. Morningside went on a 4-1 scoring to earn a 12-9 lead, capped by Payten Lode’s kill.
Brooklyn Grage smashed a kill as DSU trimmed their deficit to 13-11 and could not get any closer. Morningside closed the match by scoring the last two points, highlighted by a kill from Lode for a 15-11 victory.
The Mustangs hit .385 in the fifth set (11 kills with 1 error in 26 attempts), while the Trojans registered .222 hitting percentage (9 kills with 3 errors in 27 swings).
Groft paced Dakota State with season-highs 10 kills, 27 set assists, and a career-high 21 digs. Schell added a double-double after pounding out for 20 kills and collecting 14 digs. She hit .314 in the match. Langerock produced a double-double of 23 assists and 16 digs.
Murdock smashed a season-high 10 kills for DSU. Hailey Wathen had seven kills. Sophia Vanden Bosch posted a season-high 18 digs.
Kate VanRooyan led the Trojans’ defense with a season-high 23 digs. Groft and Vongkasemsiri each had three blocks.
Lode fueled the Mustangs’ offense with 23 kills and posted a double-double with 14 digs. Sydney Marlow added a double-double of 15 kills and 23 digs. She had four blocks. Clarie Wilson had 14 kills and nine digs.
Gillian DePauw contributed 33 set assists and recorded a double-double with 18 digs for MU. Katherine Miller tallied six blocks.
Payton Shoquist led the Mustangs’ defense with 32 digs.
Morningside recorded two more kills than Dakota State, 64-62. The Mustangs hit .192 while the Trojans recorded .123 hitting percentage. Both teams had three service aces and 106 digs. MU collected 11 blocks compared to DSU five blocks.