Volleyball sweeps weekend triangular

MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team handled its' opponents on Saturday as they swept Presentation College and York College in straight sets at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.

 Set scores of the PC game were 26-24, 25-21, 25-19.

 Neither team could escape the other in the opening set as the score remained deadlocked in a tie. However, the Saints opened up an 11-7 lead midway through the first set. Later, PC held a 20-17 advantage until a kill by Mariah Gloe (Watertown, S.D.) kickstarted a DWU comeback that pushed the Tigers onto victory. The opening set was capped off by a Rebecca Frick (Yankton, S.D.) kill.

 In the following set, the Tigers (10-1) held onto a 15-12 lead midway through. DWU went on to win the second set after a Brittany Bergquist (Wolsey, S.D.) and Gloe kill. The Tigers handled PC in the third set to sweep the Saints on the day. 

 Frick finished with 12 kills and nine digs, while Dannielle Burns (Raymond, Minn.) notched 15 digs and Mallory Cooper (Orchard, Neb.) added 11 digs. Bergquist tallied 10 kills and three digs, as Bridgett Knobbe (Norfolk, Neb.) recorded 35 assists.

 Set scores of the YC game were 25-23, 25-10, 25-12.

 The Panthers came out quickly in the first set of the second game, taking a 17-12 lead. The would not slow down as they extended their lead to a 20-14 advantage. However, Emily Brunsing (Wagner, S.D.) recorded three-consecutive kills to give the Tigers life. With the Tigers up by one point, Frick notched a kill that handed the opening-set victory to DWU.

 The win took the life out of YC as the Tigers won the second and third sets with ease.

 Frick tallied 15 digs and 14 kills, Brunsing added 12 kills and Jadie DeLange (Monument, Colo.) finished with eight kills. Knobbe tallied 38 assists, as Cooper and Burns combined for 25 digs.

 The Tigers return to conference action against Briar Cliff University at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Sioux City, Iowa.