DICKINSON, N.D. — Dickinson State twice answered a Dakota State set victory to force a deciding fifth frame Saturday, but the Trojans pulled away late to defeat the Blue Hawks 3-2 (25-20, 21-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-7) in Frontier Conference play at Scott Gymnasium.
The five-set battle was a much different matchup than the teams' first meeting Sept. 4, when Dakota State swept Dickinson State in Madison, South Dakota. Saturday's rematch featured 34 ties and 15 lead changes through four tightly contested sets.
Dickinson State moved to 6-14 overall and 5-8 in Frontier play, while Dakota State improved to 11-8 and 8-5 in the conference.
The Blue Hawks held an 11-9 lead in the opening set before Dakota State used a 5-0 run to move ahead 14-11. The Trojans eventually reached set point at 24-14, but Dickinson State refused to concede the frame.
The Blue Hawks fought off 6 consecutive set points behind kills from Carmen Pallone, Rylee Kogolshak and Aubrey Allison along with a Pallone ace before Dakota State finally closed the set 25-20.
Dickinson State carried that momentum into the second, racing to a 10-2 advantage. The Blue Hawks produced their best offensive set of the match with 17 kills and a .208 hitting percentage, holding off Dakota State's comeback attempt before Kogolshak finished the 25-21 win with a kill.
The third featured 15 ties and five lead changes. Dickinson State jumped ahead 5-0 before Dakota State worked its way back into the set. Allison's kill pulled the Blue Hawks even at 23, but the Trojans scored the next 2 points to take a 25-23 victory.
Dickinson State responded again in the fourth.
The teams traded control throughout a frame that included 11 ties and five lead changes. Pallone put the Blue Hawks ahead 23-22 with a kill before Dakota State answered to tie the set. Ashtynn Egan then delivered a kill for set point, and a Trojan attack error gave Dickinson State a 25-23 win to force the fifth.
Egan opened the deciding set with another kill, but Dakota State found separation from there. The Trojans recorded 10 kills and hit .296 in the fifth while holding Dickinson State to 4 kills and .040 hitting on their way to a 15-7 victory.
Macie Wheeler led the Dickinson State attack with 14 kills and only 2 errors on 30 attempts for a .400 hitting percentage. She also contributed 5 block assists.
Pallone finished with 12 kills, 9 digs and 8 block assists, while Egan recorded 12 kills and 15 digs. Allison added 9 kills, 15 digs and 5 block assists.
Kogolshak directed the offense with 43 assists and added 21 digs, 4 kills and 3 block assists.
Geraldyne Fernandez anchored the back row with a match-high 37 digs, the highest individual total by a Blue Hawk this season. Dickinson State finished with 118 digs as a team.
The Blue Hawks also held a 14-8 advantage in total blocks. The 14 blocks were Dickinson State's second-highest total of the season, trailing only the 15 recorded in its five-set victory over then-No. 8 Providence on Sept. 19.
Dickinson State finished with 59 kills and hit .135, while Dakota State recorded 61 kills and hit .126.
The Blue Hawks return to the road Wednesday for a Frontier Conference match at Bismarck State. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.
