No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan Holds Off Dakota State in Four-Set Home Opener

MADISON, S.D. - Dakota State pushed No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan through a tight fourth set Wednesday but fell 3-1 in its home opener and final nonconference volleyball match at a packed DSU Fieldhouse. The Tigers won the first two sets by identical 25-18 scores, the Trojans answered with a 25-19 victory in the third, and Dakota Wesleyan closed the match 25-23 in the fourth. Dakota State moved to 3-3, while Dakota Wesleyan improved to 8-1.

Dakota State opened the match with a kill from Kaedyn Sapp, but Dakota Wesleyan used an early run to build leads of 9-4 and 13-6. A Sydney Wathen service ace pulled the Trojans within 13-9 before the Tigers extended the margin to 21-14 and finished the first set. Dakota State recorded 12 kills in the opener, but eight attack errors held the team to a .093 hitting percentage. The Trojans then took a 5-3 lead in the second set before Dakota Wesleyan answered with five straight points. Dakota State tied it at 8-8, but the Tigers scored three of the final four points after taking a 22-17 lead.

The Trojans found their best offensive rhythm in the third set. With the score tied at 13, a kill by Kaedyn Sapp put Dakota State ahead and started a push that produced a 17-13 advantage. Kills from Macey Wathen, Tristyn Maras and Keira Murdock helped stretch the lead to 21-15. After the Tigers pulled within 23-19, Lauryn Kloth delivered a kill for set point and Wathen followed with the set-ending swing. Dakota State totaled 19 kills and hit .326 in the set while limiting Dakota Wesleyan to a .171 percentage.

Dakota Wesleyan raced ahead 8-3 in the fourth, but the Trojans responded with the match's sharpest rally. Back-to-back kills from M. Wathen started a seven-point run with Dakota State trailing 12-8. Kaedyn Sapp added three kills during the surge, and Rylee Thompson contributed another as the Trojans moved in front 15-12. Dakota State extended its lead to 18-14 and remained ahead 21-19 after a Tristyn Maras kill. Karly VanDerWerff then cut the margin to one, and a Trojan attack error tied the set at 21. Dakota State regained a 22-21 lead on a setting error, but Madisyn Grimsrud answered with a kill. After two straight Tiger points, Dakota State saved one match point before Evy Knoblock supplied the clinching kill. The match included 25 ties and 11 lead changes.

Dakota State finished with a 57-56 advantage in kills, while Dakota Wesleyan led .242 to .168 in hitting percentage. The Tigers also held advantages of 85-72 in digs, 8-4 in blocks and 6-1 in service aces. Kaedyn Sapp led the Trojans with a season-high 18 kills, hit .304 and added four digs and two block assists. Lauryn Kloth had 12 kills on .312 hitting with two block assists, Tristyn Maras added 12 kills, and M. Wathen finished with seven kills and only one error in 20 attempts. Emily Nelson directed the offense with 26 assists, three kills and nine digs. Gabi Borresen added 16 assists and 11 digs, Kate VanRooyan recorded six assists and a team-high 17 digs, Reagan VanRooyan had 13 digs, and S. Wathen contributed 10 digs and the Trojans' lone ace.

Dakota Wesleyan received 18 kills on .389 hitting from Grimsrud. Keatyn Liebsack, while VanDerWerff added 13 kills. VanDerWerff recorded six block assists, and Kayleigh Hybertson finished with 50 assists, 13 digs and an ace. Dakota State now turns to its 22-match Frontier Conference schedule. The Trojans will host Dickinson State (N.D.) on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, at 6 p.m. CDT.