Mustangs top Tigers in GPAC action

MITCHELL, S.D. – Struggling to find their rhythm, the Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team stumbled against Morningside College in a Great Plains Athletic Conference match in straight sets on Sunday at the Corn Palace.

 Set scores were 17-25, 18-25, 12-25.

 The Mustangs (4-6, 3-4 GPAC) jumped out to a quick 10-5 lead in the opening set following consecutive kills. After trailing 15-8, the Tigers (6-4, 3-4 GPAC) rallied with kills by Jadie DeLange (Monument, Colo.) and Ady Dwight (Langford, S.D.) to pull within a few points, forcing a Morningside timeout.

 After the timeout, the Mustangs pulled ahead again to take a 20-12 advantage. However, the Tigers again mounted a comeback thanks to a Dwight kill. But Morningside fended off the late rally to take the opening set.

 After trailing 7-2 to open the second match, DWU took a timeout to regroup. Coming out of the timeout, McKenzie Buisker (Watertown, S.D.) tallied a pair of kills to keep the Tigers close. Later in the second set, the Tigers trailed by 12 points, but Chaydon Metzger (Larchwood, Iowa) recorded a kill with an assist from Madeline Else (Holstein, Iowa) to attempt a late rally. But the Mustangs closed out the second set to hold a commanding lead.

 Dwight began the third set with a kill to hand the Tigers an early lead. After trailing 3-2, Morningside answered with a 10-3 run to hold a 12-6 lead. Midway through the set, Dwight notched a pair of kills to bring DWU within two points. However, the Mustangs finished the third set on a 10-1 run to defeat the Tigers.

 Dwight finished with 12 kills and three blocks, while Else added 29 assists and eight digs. Mariah Gloe (Watertown, S.D.) led the defensive side with 12 digs, as freshman Tya Weideman (Mellette, S.D.) chipped in seven digs.

 DWU returns to the Palace to battle Midland University at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.