Mitchell, S.D. -- No. 18 Dakota Wesleyan volleyball grabbed another top-25 win this evening at home after a dramatic five-set victory after a long first and fifth set. Senior Libero, Hanna Reiff posted a milestone of her own in the big win as she climbed into ninth on the all-time career digs list at DWU.
The Quick Details
Score:
No.18 DWU 3 – No.13 CSM 2 (24-26, 20-25, 25-14, 25-23, 17-15)
Records:
No. 18 DWU 11-3 (GPAC 4-2)
No. 13 CSM 13-3 (GPAC 3-3)
How It Happened
No. 13 College of Saint Mary came out on fire in the opening set with a big 8-3 run to start the match. It wasn't till late in the set that No. 18 Dakota Wesleyan climbed their way back tying the set. With the Tigers trailing the Flames 18-10, head coach Wilber called for a timeout to regroup and reorganize. Once play resumed, DWU came running back on a 10-2 run that tied the set at 20-20 as Mackenzie Miller earned the tying point kill. CSM and DWU recorded three more ties in the match at 21-21, 23-23, and 24-24, before the Flame broke away with the final two points needed to win the opening set.
The Tigers got out to a quick start in the second set, but so did the Flames. DWU got a one point lead several times before CSM came back in the next rally to erase the lead. After Ady Dwight got a kill tying the set at 6-6, the Tigers went on to get two more points in their small run to lead 8-6. Dakota Wesleyan held onto the lead for a little long this time, till Saint Mary put together at small run of their own tying the set at 13-13. Following the 13-13 tie, the Tigers asked for another timeout, but it wasn't enough to bust the momentum of the Flames as they quickly turned the tied set into as three-point advantage to lead DWU 19-16, forcing another DWU timeout. The Tigers were only able to grab a total of four more point in the second set, three of which were CSM errors, and one was a kill by Miller. The Tigers dropped the second set 20-25 and now trailed in the match 0-2.
No. 18 DWU turned it on in the third set, hitting their best all night of .324 percent on 15 kills and 37 total attempts. After the only tie of the set at 1-1, the Tigers handled the Flames putting together multiple runs from several different players. Dwight started the first five point run of the match, giving DWU a 6-1 lead early. After some key errors from CSM, and a few more kills from Dwight, Madeline Else, Mariah Gloe, and Miller, the Tigers were up by seven 13-6. The Flames attempted to burn their way back into the set, but the Tigers were able to hold their attacks to a minimum, while forcing six CSM attacking errors. Proceeding a service ace by Else, the Flames took a timeout of their own to regroup as they now trailed 21-13. Once the match got rolling again, so did the Tigers. The only point CSM earned after the 21-13 timeout was on a service error by DWU. The final for points DWU needed to win the third set came off a pair of Flame errors and a pair of kills from Emily Dale, to secure the 25-14, third set win.
The fourth set was another close one with the Flames attempting to end the match and DWU looking to force a pivotal fifth set. The Tigers got going on a 9-3 run right away that put Saint Mary in a position to call for a timeout. Once play got underway again, the Flames quickly closed the deficit after some DWU errors and CSM kills to only trial by one point, 12-11, forcing coach Wilber to call timeout. The Flames were pushing for the lead midway through the set, but the Tigers were not quick to give it up, holding onto the lead through multiple ties. CSM was finally able to get the tied set at 19-19 after back-to-back kills. DWU then proceeded to avoid the leach change a handful of times after two kills from Abigail Brunsing and a huge, assisted block from Dwight and Else that had Fosness arena on their feet. Brunsing and Dwight put the Tigers up by two with set point 24-21, but a costly DWU error gave the serve back to CSM. Saint Mary earned one more point on a kill before Dwight sent set point to the floor, evening the match at 2-2.
The fifth set… prior to the fifth set in tonight's match, the Tigers one the season are 1-2 in five set matches. DWU and CSM battled in the final set of the evening as neither the Tigers nor Flames could get more than a two-point lead before the score was brought back to even. Dwight, Brunsing, Miller, Gloe, and Dale were all big hitters for the Tigers in the final set of the evening putting DWU back in the lead after each of their respective kills. The Flames grabbed the lead back at 14-13 before DWU was given a point due to a CSM service error. Saint Mary was back in the drive seat after the next rally was a kill and Flames' point. Gloe tied the set at 15-15 for the Tigers after Else set her up on the outside. Dakota Wesleyan then finished putting out the fire with an assisted block from Brunsing and Dale; followed by a Miller kill to win the match 3-2.
Overall, Dakota Wesleyan hit .182 with 63 kills and 25 errors on 209 total attempts, compared to Saint Mary who hit .127 with 63 kills and 37 errors on 204 total attempts. Dwight tied her career high in blocks, posting eight assisted in the match. Dwight also led the Tigers 18 kills in the match. Miller posted 17 kills while leading the team in hitting percentage posting only two errors for a .366 hitting percentage. Else set a new career high in assists, with 54; while also earning four kills, two service aces, and 12 digs. Gloe recorded the volleyball double-double with ten kills and 18 digs, while also posting five total blocks. Hannah Reiff reached a milestone of her own with her 26 total digs: climbing into ninth on the DWU all-time career digs list. Callie Slagter was strong on the defensive front as well with 12 digs.
Up Next
No. 18 Dakota Wesleyan will play at home again on Tuesday, September 26 for the annual Blue & White Homecoming week. No. 18 DWU will take on instate rival (RV) Dakota State from the Christen Family Athletic Center and Fosness Arena. The junior varsity teams will take the floor at 5 p.m. with the varsity squads squaring off at 7 p.m..