Dakota State Challenges No. 2 Jamestown in a Close Volleyball Match

In a high-stakes, North Star Athletic Association volleyball matchup, the Dakota State Trojans went toe-to-toe with the nationally ranked No. 2 Jamestown Jimmies. Despite a valiant effort and pushing the match to four close sets, the Trojans fell 3-1 on Friday evening at the DSU Fieldhouse.

The first set was a nail-biter, as Dakota State’s rally from 4-0 down reached as high as 23-20. Strong attacks by Macey Wathen and Brooklyn Grage highlighted the Trojans’ effort, but in the end, Jamestown gutted out a 27-25 win after a late comeback.

The second set also had a competitive effort from Dakota State, but Jamestown used a 4-0 scoring run at the set’s midpoint en route to a 25-20 victory and a 2-0 advantage in the match. The Trojans were aggressive to begin the third set, going up 6-2 out of the gates and not looking back in a 25-20 victory to extend the match. An ace by Maddi Langerock and kills from Reagan VanRooyan sealed the deal for Dakota State.

Dakota State started strong in the fourth set, reeling off a 6-2 lead and extending the lead into the middle of the set, at 17-11, before Jamestown battled back with another late run. The set went back and fourth match, Dakota State outhit Jamestown with a .169 hitting percentage compared to a .162 percentage for the Jimmies. H. Wathen paced the Trojan attack with 12 kills. Grage and M. Wathen followed with 10 kills each. Kate VanRooyan anchored the defense with 25 digs. Vongkasemsiri and Grage combined for seven blocks.

The Trojans have managed to be competitive in the NSAA and look forward to the next conference game against Dickinson State when they will celebrate their seniors in a pre-game ceremony. One thing was clear after Friday night’s match: Dakota State has grit, and it brings a fighting force into every game, and these fans are excited to continue to support their team throughout the season.