Tigers drop five set thriller

ABERDEEN, S.D. – The 2017 season opener didn't go quite as planned for the Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team on Wednesday night.

 DWU hit the road and took on nonconference opponent Presentation College and battled back after trailing 2-1, however the Saints had different ideas, downing the Tigers in five sets in Aberdeen, S.D.

 Set scores were 25-19, 22-25, 18-25, 25-20 and 8-15.

 Despite trailing in the first set, freshman Bridgett Knobbe (Norfolk, Neb.) regained the lead for the Tigers off an ace serve. The Tigers kept the momentum and never trailed the rest of the set, thanks to kills by Rebecca Frick (Yankton, S.D.) and Sydney Fritz (Winner, S.D.)

 In the second and third sets, errors became costly for the Tigers. However, the Tigers put up a fight in set four after taking a 14-10 lead. Back-to-back kills by Frick secured the fourth set for the Tigers, forcing the contest to go five sets.

 The Tigers took a 4-1 lead in the fifth set, but the Saints came fighting back to take the lead at 6-5 and never looked back to secure the victory.

 For the Tigers, Frick tied her career-high in kills with 17, while adding 16 digs. Knobbe tallied 38 assists and 13 digs. Freshman Chelsey Heeg (Freeman, S.D.) recorded nine kills and eight digs, while Sara Herman (Reliance, S.D.) and Mallory Cooper (Orchard, Neb.) added 17 and 14 digs, respectively.

 The Tigers (0-1) are back in action at the Red Raider Classic on Friday and Saturday, taking Mayville State University and Corban University. On Saturday, DWU battles Valley City State University and Waldorf University in Orange City, Iowa.