Tigers finish undefeated at Corn Palace Classic

MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team hosted the Corn Palace Classic on Friday and Saturday and finished the weekend with four-straight victories at the Corn Palace in Mitchell.

 In the first game of the weekend, the Tigers (9-0) took on Sterling College and defeated the Warriors 3-0. DWU jumped out to an early 12-2 lead and never looked back as they took the first set 25-10. The Tigers handled Sterling in the second set, winning 25-13 and took the final set from the Warriors, 25-23.

 Rebecca Frick (Yankton, S.D.) finished the game with 17 kills and 10 digs, while Sara Herman (Reliance, S.D.) recorded 23 digs. Bridgett Knobbe (Norfolk, Neb.) tallied 35 assists and seven digs, as Mallory Cooper (Orchard, Neb.) notched 13 digs.

 In the second game on Friday, DWU downed Mayville State University 3-1. The first set was back-and-forth as the Tigers began to pull away, taking a 23-16 lead. The Comets came back as they tied the set at 24, but DWU prevailed, winning 27-25.

 The second set was another close battle as Mayville won, while the Tigers owned the third set. The Comets opened up the fourth set leading 15-6. However, DWU began chipping away at the deficit as they finished the set on a 20-7 run to take the game.

 Frick finished the game with 28 digs and 24 kills, while Sydney Fritz (Winner, S.D.) tallied 12 kills and eight digs.

 The Tigers found themselves in a battle on Saturday against the University of Western Montana. The Bulldogs took the first set, 25-20 while the Tigers handled the second set, 25-16. The teams traded sets for the remainder of the day as DWU came away victorious, 3-2.

 Fritz set a career-high with 20 kills, while Frick recorded 25 kills and 16 digs and Herman notched 31 digs.

 In the final game of the weekend, DWU took care of business as they downed Dickinson State University, 25-20, 25-10, 25-20. Frick recorded 18 kills and 14 digs. Herman tallied 14 digs and Knobbe notched 38 assists in the contest.

 The Tigers open up Great Plains Athletic Conference play against the University of Jamestown at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Corn Palace.