DWU rallies in opening game, opens season with pair of wins

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – After storming back to take the opening game against Mayville State University, the Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team won its second game in straight sets against Valley City State University to open its season with a pair of wins on Saturday in Valley City, N.D.

 In the opening game of the day, the Tigers (2-0) came back from a two-set deficit to down Mayville State as set scores were 26-28, 17-25, 25-16, 25-21, 15-10.

 After trailing in the opening set by two points, DWU answered to tie the game at 10 following a Mariah Gloe (Watertown, S.D.) kill. Later in the opening set, the Tigers held a 24-22 lead. However, the Comets (0-1) rallied and scored six of the final eight points to take the first set.

 In the second set, MSU used a 13-4 run to take the second set from the Tigers. DWU came alive in the third set, taking a 7-4 lead early on following a pair of Gloe kills. After a Taylee Indahl (Burke, S.D.) kill, the Tigers scored 14 of the final 19 points to take the third set to swing the momentum in their favor.

 The Tigers jumped out to a 5-1 advantage following a Sara Herman (Reliance, S.D.) ace in the fourth set. DWU never trailed in the set, although, the Comets attempted a comeback to pull within a point late. But the Tigers prevailed to force a fifth set.

 Gloe and Indahl combined for three kills in the opening moments of the final set to hand the Tigers a 6-1 lead. DWU never looked back, capping off the comeback.

 DWU handled VCSU in the second game of the day in straight sets: 25-20, 27-25, 25-19.

 After the Vikings (0-1) tied the opening set at seven, Gloe, Mackenzie Miller (Mitchell, S.D.) and McKenzie Buisker (Watertown, S.D.) kickstarted the Tigers to a 14-8 advantage. Miller helped finish off the set as she tallied a kill to hand the first set to the Tigers.

 Both teams went back and forth in the second set as neither team led by more than five points. DWU held a five-point lead twice thanks to a Miller kill midway through the set. With the score tied at 24, Ady Dwight (Langford, S.D.) recorded a kill, followed by a Herman ace to take a 2-0 set lead.

 After DWU led 12-7, The Vikings tallied five-straight points to tie the game. However, Miller and Jadie DeLange (Monument, Colo.) notched four kills moments later to push the Tigers onto victory.

 Gloe paced the Tigers as she finished with 28 kills and 15 digs between the two games. Madeline Else (Holstein, Iowa) combined for 91 assists and 34 digs, while Hanna Reiff (Chester, S.D.) notched 54 digs in the two games.

 The Tigers hit the road again to take on Presentation College at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Aberdeen, S.D.