MADISON, S.D. – The Valley City State volleyball team fell to Dakota State in straight sets Wednesday night, 25-20, 25-18 and 27-25. VCSU and Dakota State are each receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, and Wednesday night it was the Trojans who came out on top.
 
VCSU is now 10-6 on the season and 2-2 in conference play. Dakota State improves to 12-7 overall and 2-2 in the North Star. The Vikings have another big conference road match Thursday night as they take on No. 7 Bellevue. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.
 
The Vikings held a 49-47 advantage in total kills Wednesday night but committed 19 attack errors to DSU’s nine. The Trojans also tallied eight service aces in the victory.
 
Dakota State opened up the match with an early 8-4 advantage. The Vikings inched closer to tie the set at 12-all, later pulling ahead 17-15 on a Rosie Anderson kill. From there, Dakota State made a late surge with four straight points including a pair of Sydney Schell kills to take back the momentum and secure the first set, 25-20.
 
The Trojans held onto its energy in the second set, using a 6-0 run to help them pull away en route to a 25-18 win in set two.
 
VCSU made an early run in the third set with the help of three Macy Fridgen kills to hold a 7-3 lead. A Fridgen error later sent Dakota State on an 8-1 rally that included three straight service aces by Kate VanRooyan to hold a 15-14 advantage. From there, the teams went back-and-forth the rest of the way with neither team leading by more than two points. Dakota State pulled off the 27-25 win with kills from Macey Wathen and Tristyn Maras.
 
Macy Fridgen led all players with 14 kills on the night while Emma Lucas totaled 12 and Morgan Nelson added seven. Nelson and Lucas each recorded three blocks for VCSU.
 
Sadie Hansen posted 40 set assists and 15 digs for a double-double Wednesday. Defensively, JayCee Richter recorded a team-high 20 digs and Delani Clarke added 15 for the Vikings.
 
Dakota State was led by Macey Wathen who posted 11 kills, while Sydney Schell added 10 kills and 12 digs on the night. Kate VanRooyan recorded a game-high 28 digs and four service aces. Madalyn Groft totaled 21 set assists, and Maddi Langerock finished with 17 assists for the Trojans.
 
UP NEXT: (RV) VCSU travels to No. 7 Bellevue for a Thursday night matchup at 7 p.m.