DICKINSON, N.D. — Dickinson State erased a late deficit in the opening set before taking control of the match, sweeping Rocky Mountain 3-0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-15) Friday in Frontier Conference play at Scott Gymnasium.
The Blue Hawks improved to 5-11 overall and 4-5 in the Frontier, while Rocky Mountain fell to 3-10 and 1-7 in conference play.
The opening set provided the only extended stretch in which Dickinson State had to play from behind. Neither side created much separation through the middle stages before Rocky Mountain scored 3 straight points to take a 20-17 advantage.
Dickinson State responded with 3 straight of its own to tie the set at 20, but the Battlin' Bears answered and regained a 22-20 lead. From there, the Blue Hawks took over.
Carmen Pallone started the decisive run with a kill before a Rocky Mountain setting error tied the set at 22. Dickinson State moved in front on a Cate Floy kill, another setting error gave the Blue Hawks set point and Pallone finished the 5-0 run with a block for a 25-22 victory.
The momentum carried directly into the second set.
Dickinson State led 11-7 before steadily creating separation. After Rocky Mountain pulled within 15-9, the Blue Hawks scored 7 consecutive points to build a 22-9 advantage. The run included consecutive blocks from Macie Wheeler and Rylee Kogolshak, another block from Wheeler and Pallone and kills from Wheeler and Pallone.
The Blue Hawks hit .400 in the second set, putting down 11 kills with only 1 attack error on 25 attempts. Rocky Mountain, meanwhile, finished the set with 11 attack errors and hit minus-.200 as Dickinson State rolled to a 25-12 win.
Dickinson State put together another extended run in the third. Rocky Mountain was within 7-4 before the Blue Hawks scored 8 straight points behind the serve of Paige Rose, stretching the lead to 15-4. Pallone and Cameron Gouw combined for 4 kills during the run, while Rose added an ace.
The Battlin' Bears never pulled closer than 8 points the rest of the way as Dickinson State completed the sweep with a 25-15 victory.
Defense at the net helped separate the teams throughout the afternoon. Dickinson State finished with a 10.0-5.0 advantage in total blocks and held Rocky Mountain to a .017 hitting percentage. The Battlin' Bears recorded 25 kills against 23 attack errors on 117 attempts.
The Blue Hawks were more efficient offensively, hitting .207 with 34 kills and 11 errors.
Wheeler and Pallone led a balanced Dickinson State attack with 8 kills apiece. Wheeler did not commit an attack error on 17 swings, hitting .471 while adding 4 block assists. Pallone contributed 3 solo blocks and 2 block assists.
Kogolshak impacted the match across the floor with 28 assists, 12 digs, 2 kills, 2 solo blocks and 4 block assists. Gouw added 6 kills, while Aubrey Allison finished with 5 kills and 10 digs.
Geraldyne Fernandez led Dickinson State with 13 digs, and Rose added 12 as the Blue Hawks finished with 59 digs in the three-set victory.
