Dakota State Pushes Carroll to Five Sets in 3-2 Frontier Loss
| Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAK | 23 | 25 | 20 | 25 | 8 | 2 |
| CAR | 25 | 18 | 25 | 19 | 15 | 3 |
HELENA, Mont. - Dakota State pushed Carroll through five sets Saturday before falling 3-2 in a Frontier Conference match at the PE Center. Carroll won 25-23, 18-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-8, handing the Trojans their first conference loss of the season. Dakota State moved to 6-4 overall and 3-1 in the Frontier, while Carroll improved to 9-3 and 4-1.
The Trojans built an 18-15 lead in the opening set on a kill by Tristyn Maras and later moved back in front 23-22 behind Macey Wathen. Carroll responded with the final three points, using two Birdie Heuiser kills and a Dakota State attack error to take the set. Dakota State answered with its most efficient offensive stretch of the match in the second, hitting .417 with 18 kills. Reagan VanRooyan's service ace extended the lead to 13-8, and a Kaedyn Sapp kill made it 17-10 before Wathen delivered the final point of the 25-18 win.
Carroll opened a 16-11 advantage in the third set, but Dakota State worked its way back. A Kate VanRooyan ace and a Carroll attack error cut the deficit to 18-16, and Lauryn Kloth's kill again brought the Trojans within two at 20-18. Carroll regained control late and closed out a 25-20 victory to move within one set of the match.
Dakota State forced the deciding set with another response in the fourth. Sapp recorded three kills during an early run that put the Trojans ahead 7-3. Carroll later trimmed a five-point deficit to 16-15, but Dakota State answered with a 9-4 closing stretch. Emily Nelson completed the 25-19 set with a kill, sending the match to the fifth.
After the deciding set was tied 2-2, Carroll scored three straight points to create separation. Consecutive Sapp kills pulled Dakota State within 5-4, but Carroll countered with a 9-2 run to reach match point at 14-6. Maras recorded the Trojans' final kill before Heuiser ended the match on the next rally.
Sapp led Dakota State with 20 kills and a .275 attack percentage, while Maras added 18 kills and two block assists. Gabi Borresen distributed 28 assists to go with nine digs and an ace, and Nelson contributed seven kills, 20 assists and 12 digs. Raya Van Beek hit .375 with seven kills, while Kloth had four block assists. Reagan VanRooyan collected 21 digs and two aces, and Sydney Wathen finished with 20 digs and seven assists. The Trojans totaled 63 kills, 62 assists, 93 digs and five blocks.
Dakota State returns home to face Montana Western on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at 5 p.m. CDT at the DSU Fieldhouse.
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