Comets extend DSU’s skid
Dickinson State volleyball coach Maura Bronte-Pfeifer said she is looking for little victories in her team’s matches. While the Blue Hawks are finding them, they still haven’t found that big victory.By: Dustin Monke, The Dickinson Press
- Sarah Zeilbig
Dickinson State volleyball coach Maura Bronte-Pfeifer said she is looking for little victories in her team’s matches.
While the Blue Hawks are finding them, they still haven’t found that big victory.
Unforced errors bit DSU hard as Mayville State earned a 25-20, 25-16, 25-19 Dakota Athletic Conference victory on Friday night at Scott Gymnasium, keeping the Blue Hawks winless on the season.
“It’s super scary to play a team that hasn’t won, at their home place, that has nothing to lose,” Mayville State head coach Lindsey Johnson said. “We prepared this whole week not overlooking Dickinson. They have moments where it is obvious that they can compete with anybody. They have those moments. Fortunately for us, we do too.”
DSU (0-15, 0-2 DAC) last lost to Mayville State on Oct. 24, 2008, in a five-game match. That was the only other time the Comets (14-7, 1-1 DAC) had beaten the Blue Hawks since they have been members of the DAC.
Like Johnson said, the Blue Hawks had their moments of brilliance. They also had a lot of letdowns.
The Blue Hawks committed 14 unforced errors in the first set, eight in the second and 12 in the third. Many of those miscues allowed the Comets to build large leads or improve.
“Unforced errors obviously do need to go away, but I don’t think that’s what’s losing our game,” DSU junior outside hitter Sarah Zeilbig said. “Unforced errors, that’s what volleyball is all about. Unforced errors are always going to happen. We just need to make up for them with what we can control.”
After falling behind 10-2 in the first set, the Blue Hawks climbed out of an early rut and appeared to be in the early stages of manufacturing a victory.
DSU eventually claimed an 18-17 lead, only to have kills by Nikki Roholt and Karee Breon put them right back in a hole, 22-18.
More unforced errors down the stretch of the first set helped the Comets hang on for the win.
DSU cleaned things up in the second set, but again, an early setback forced it into comeback mode. The Blue Hawks got within two, 14-12, before the Comets pulled away.
“Defense was good tonight, definitely lacking on offense side, which is kind of seeming how our team is going to be,” Bronte-Pfeifer said. “Either defense is on or offense is on, but we haven’t figured out a game where they’re both on. That’s going to be our goal, trying to be consistent on both sides of the ball.”
Mayville State flat out dominated the third set, ending it on an 11-1 run to capture their first sweep of DSU in 12 seasons as DAC opponents.
Freshman Josette Glatt led the Comets with nine kills and three blocks.
“We expected them to play hard, but as the game went on, each set I thought our kids stepped up a little bit more,” Johnson said.
Zeilbig led DSU with 10 kills, two blocks and two aces. Brianny Williams and Jennifer Hartman added seven and six kills, respectively.
Bronte-Pfeifer said Zeilbig’s enthusiasm on the court and drive to improve is something she’d like to see rub off on the rest of the Blue Hawks.
“Sarah had an exceptional game tonight,” Bronte-Pfeifer said. “She’s a huge find for us. I love that she’s a part of this team. We just need to get everyone on the same page as her.”
MSU 25 25 25 — 3
DSU 20 16 9 — 0
Kills: MSU, Josette Glatt 9, Nikki Roholt 8, Brittany Olson 7, Maggie Maroney 5, Abagail Anderson 4. DSU, Sarah Zeilbig 10, Brianny Williams 7, Jennifer Hartman 6, Ebony Sanders 2, Shaunda Dvorak 1, Chelsey Schwindt 1, Katelyn Christensen 1.
Blocks: MSU, Glatt 3, Olson 3, Maroney 2, Roholt 3. DSU, Dvorak 4, Zeilbig 2, Hartman 1.
Aces: MSU, Maroney 2. DSU, Zeilbig 2, Christensen 1, Hartman 1, Williams 1.
Digs: MSU, Emily Liljestrand 10, Ashley Torgusson 8, Betsy Smith 7, Laura Kolness 5. DSU, Rebecca Johnson 10, Christensen 9, Williams 6, Kelsey Chan 2.
Assists: MSU, Kolness 19, Michelle Warren 12. DSU, Chan 25.
Records: DSU 0-15, 0-2 DAC; MSU 14-7, 1-1 DAC.
Tags: blue hawks, college volleyball, sports, volleyball
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