Hawks sweep Minot State

MINOT -- Dickinson State volleyball coach Dave Moody isn't exactly sure what his team is going to be like this year.

"It is early still and I am not sure what to expect. Each year is different," Moody said. "We have some players in different places and there are some changes."

Still, the team ranked No. 5 in the NAIA preseason poll is pretty good.

Minot State found that out the hard way Tuesday night at the MSU Dome as the Blue Hawks remained unbeaten, sweeping the Beavers 30-20, 30-21, 30-14 in Dakota Athletic Conference volleyball.

"I am not sure what our 'A' game is yet," Moody said. "I know that serving carried us (Tuesday) and that was a little unexpected. We are a good serving team, but I was surprised how many uncontested points we scored off the serve."

The match was really a tale of two serves - at least serve receive. The Blue Hawks (8-0, 1-0 DAC) fired a whopping 19 aces as MSU struggled to pass the ball.

"There wasn't much flow at all," MSU first-year coach Johnna Lewis said. "Our passing all together struggled. We weren't ready to do some of the things we tried to do. Sometimes you have to just get the ball up."

Moody wasn't happy with his serve receive either. MSU finished with six aces as a team.

"We struggled in serve receive," he said. "That is a place where we had been solid so far."

With both teams struggling passing, the match lacked much pace and flow. After DSU stormed out to a 21-7 lead in Game 1 and coasted to a 30-20 win, MSU battled back. Game 2 featured the only real drama as the two team traded points from 5-5 on, with neither taking more than a two-point lead until late. DSU finished off the second game with an eight-point run.

"We played better in the second game and much of that had to do with the play of freshman," Lewis said.

A big turning point in Game 2 came after an apparent MSU ace. The Beavers' Ashley Henry collected what looked to be an ace giving MSU an 11-9 lead. But, the Beavers (2-3, 0-1 DAC) were whistled for a rotation violation, negating the point and tying the game at 10.

"We need to have someone step up and want to win a game," Lewis said. "We need to have someone become a leader."

While Game 2 added some excitement, DSU's Judith Boel took it away early in Game 3 with an ace barrage. Boel fired five of her match-high eight aces during a 13-serve possession to push a 2-2 tie to a 13-2 Blue Hawks lead. DSU cruised from there.

"(Tuesday night) she did it with her serve," Moody said. "It is nice to have someone who can help you from different parts of the game."

DSU was led offensively by Elizabeth Castillo's 15 kills, while Boel finished with eight. Elizabeth Rodriguez had a fine all-around game with eight digs, six blocks and six kills.

"Rodriguez is playing all around this year and is very good in the back," Moody said. "She is quick and dynamic."