Titans sweep Raiders

Though the Dickinson Trinity volleyball team's momentum went in ebbs and flows, Richardton-Taylor didn't have an answer.

In turn, it didn't take long for the Titans to wrap up their Region 7 match against the Raiders.

Trinity finished off Richardton-Taylor in a sweep 25-13, 25-19, 25-10 in just over an hour on Thursday at Knights of Columbus Activities Center.

"My goal for the team tonight was to push them as hard as I could and then for them to become consistent," Trinity head coach Rayma Braaten said. "In that second game, we kind of let our guard down and we made a couple mistakes, but so did they. We came out stronger in the third set."

One area the Titans excelled in all match long was ball control. Trinity had a total of 89 digs, while only committing seven errors. Katelyn Rummel, who splits time with Jillian Stockert at the libero position, had a game-high 26 digs. Stockert finished with 13.

"The key to winning the game tonight was our defense," Rummel said. "Our defense did awesome. Our blockers up front blocked everything they put at us and it made my job a lot easier."

However, Rummel said digging out tough shots was much easier with Gretchen Weir and Brianna Soehren, who both hover around 6-feet. Weir and Soehren ended the match with a combined nine kills and three blocks.

"Oh yeah, the twin towers they are great to have," Rummel said with a laugh.

In the opening set, Trinity jumped out to an 11-4 lead and never let up. The Titans continued to dominate the opening set to a tune of 19-11 after a Madison Jahner ace. Trinity sophomore outside hitter Kennedy Keator closed out the set with a kill. Keator finished with a game-high 13 kills and 18 digs.

"(The match) started off slow, but when we get our energy up it helps us out a lot," Keator said. "We are all able to play a lot better and we have confidence in each other."

However, the Raiders responded tough in the second set throughout the first 26 points. But, it was the Titans who came away with the final rally. Trinity racked up a 22-15 lead when Stockert knocked down an ace and eventually won a Richardton-Taylor hitting error.

The Raiders' week for Region 7 matches couldn't have ended quickly enough. Richardton-Taylor was swept by Beulah on Tuesday.

"They knew coming in that we had to step it up," Richardton-Taylor head coach Kayla Zent said. "I don't if we just got rattled right away and we were able to shake it off."

In the final set, the Titans didn't have any trouble going on long, continuous runs. Trinity ran away with an 11-5 run and closed out the set with a 14-5 run. Allison Steffan, who only had four kills during the match, made her last one count for the match winner.

Trinity's Katelyn Grinsteinner supplied 23 digs, four kills and two blocks, while Katie Dockter dished out 24 assists.

Samantha Steiner, the Raiders' senior outside hitter, posted six kills and nine digs. Ashley Gullickson had three kills and two blocks. Hannah Rummel compiled eight assists, six digs and two kills.

The Titans continue their season traveling to the Hazen Tournament on Saturday. Braaten said there hasn't been any worry about the team during region play, but the team has struggled in tournaments.

"In tournament play, we've been very inconsistent," Braaten said. "We have been getting two different teams right now and now we are working toward being consistent."

RT 13 19 10 -- 0

Trinity 25 25 25 -- 3

Kills: RT, Samantha Steiner 6, Ashley Gullickson 3, Shayna Frederick 2, Hannah Rummel 2. T, Kennedy Keator 13, Gretchen Weir 5, Katelyn Grinsteinner 4, Brianna Soehren 4, Allison Steffan 3, Katie Dockter 1.

Blocks: RT, Gullickson 2. T, Weir 2, Grinsteinner 2, Steffan 1, Soehren 1, Keator 1.

Aces: T, Jillian Stockert 2, Madi Jahner 1, Grinsteinner 1, Katelyn Rummel 1.

Digs: RT, Brooklyn Miller 15, Haley Butterfield 9, Steiner 9, Brielle Van Orman 7, Rummel 6. T, Rummel 26, Grinsteinner 23, Keator 18, Dockter 13, Jahner 5, Dockter 3.

Assists: RT, Rummel 8. T, Dockter 24.