Volleyball falls in four-set thriller to undefeated Jimmies

MITCHELL, S.D. – Pushing their undefeated record to the brink, the Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team took the University of Jamestown to four competitive sets, ultimately falling in the Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup Friday at the Corn Palace.

 Set scores were 21-25, 25-22, 19-25, 23-25.

 Both teams opened the match trading blows with the score tied 3-3 following an Ady Dwight (Langford, S.D.) kill. Each team continued to exchange points with Mackenzie Miller (Mitchell, S.D.) tallying a kill to even the score at 8-8.

 However, the Jimmies (7-0, 5-0 GPAC) pushed their lead to four points later in the set. But DWU responded with four-straight points to tie the set at 18. UJ was able to hold off the Tigers (7-5, 4-5 GPAC) down the stretch to take the opening set.

 The Jimmies opened a quick 3-0 lead to begin the following set before a Miller kill put the Tigers on the scoreboard. After a DWU service error gave UJ a 9-6 advantage, Miller and Dwight combined for kills, followed by a Jimmie error to tie the set.

 With the Tigers leading by a point, Dwight tallied a kill, followed by a block by Dwight and Jadie DeLange (Monument, Colo.) to force a Jimmie timeout. Coming out of the timeout, UJ tied the set at 21. However, consecutive errors by the Jimmies forced them to call their second timeout. Freshman McKenzie Buisker (Watertown, S.D.) completed the set with back-to-back kills to hand the second-set victory to the Tigers.

 DWU opened an early lead in the third set thanks to kills by DeLange and Dwight. The Jimmies quickly regrouped to take the lead and eventually pushed their lead to five points midway through the set as DWU called a timeout.

 UJ held a 20-15 lead moments later to force another DWU timeout. But the Tigers came out with kills by Mariah Gloe (Watertown, S.D.) and Buisker to pull within three points. A pair of Jimmie errors brought the Tigers within a point. However, UJ tallied five-consecutive points to put the third set away.

 Allison Jamison (Sioux Falls, S.D.) handed the Tigers their first lead of the fourth frame with a service ace in the early moments. Following the ace, Gloe and Miller helped DWU extend its lead to three points.

 Each time the Jimmies tried pulling even or taking the lead, the Tigers had an answer. The largest lead of the final set came after Madeline Else (Holstein, Iowa) assisted on kills by Miller and Gloe to push the lead to four points.

 But the Jimmies came roaring back to tie the set at 20 following a kill. After both teams traded points, UJ took a two-point lead off another kill. But the Tigers did not go away quietly as Else dished the ball to Dwight who tallied her 14^th kill of the match. However, the Jimmies eventually defeated the Tigers despite the late rally.

 Dwight led the charge for the Tigers as she tallied 14 kills and four blocks, while Gloe and Hanna Reiff (Chester, S.D.) recorded 20 digs apiece. Else finished with 46 assists and 12 digs, as Sara Herman (Reliance, S.D.) added 10 digs.

 The Tigers complete their home stand with a non-conference showdown with Presentation College at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Christen Family Athletic Center.