MITCHELL, S.D. – Thanks to Rebecca Frick (Yankton, S.D.) and Mallory Cooper (Orchard, Neb.) reaching 1,000-career digs, the Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team defeated Briar Cliff University in straight sets on senior night at the Christen Family Athletic Center in Mitchell.
Set scores were 25-22, 26-24, 26-24.
In the opening set of the match, the Tigers (17-14, 5-11 GPAC) jumped out to an early 6-2 lead thanks to a Frick kill. Later in the set, DWU went on a 9-3 run to take a 20-12 lead to take the first set.
The Chargers (11-16, 5-11 GPAC) came out hot in the second set as they held a 6-3 lead. However, the Tigers came storming back and tied the set at 11 following a Frick kill. Neither team took more than two-point lead for the remainder of the set. But, it was Chelsey Heeg (Freeman, S.D.) who tallied a kill to take a 2-0 lead for the Tigers.
Both teams went back-and-forth in the third set as the score remained tied, 10-10. DWU pulled away with an 8-1 run to take an 18-11 lead. With the Tigers up 24-18, BCU tied the game at 24. Brittany Bergquist (Wolsey, S.D.) gave the Tigers a one-point lead with a kill that pushed DWU onto victory.
Frick led the team with 15 kills and 16 digs, while Bridgett Knobbe (Norfolk, Neb.) notched 33 assists and six digs. Cooper tallied 13 digs, as Bergquist and Heeg added six kills apiece.
The Tigers finish the season with an overall record of 17-14, good for their first winning season since 2016.
