RV Dakota Wesleyan Volleyball won at home against the Waldorf Warriors to open conference play.
The Tigers would take a one-set lead after a strong performance in the opening frame of the match. Evy Knoblock would lead the offensive effort with 19 kills, her second-highest total of the season, while Emily Dale would be the team’s main force at the net, recording five blocks in four sets. The Warriors would fight back in the second set after keeping it competitive in the first, flipping the scoreline 25-21 to tie the match at 1-1, but the Tigers’ strong performance in the third set would shift the momentum back in Dakota Wesleyan’s favor.
Defensively, the team was led by Abigail Zegar, who recorded a personal season-high 20 digs, with Elizabeth Tyler and Knoblock providing backup with 16 and 12 digs, respectively. Karly VanDerWerff would not be the team’s leading offensive force as she had been in recent games, but the sophomore still had an impressive performance, recording eight kills and three blocks at the net. The Tigers would win the third frame by a score of 25-9.
Kayleigh Hybertson, the reigning GPAC Setter-of-the-Week, led the offense throughout the match. She would record an impressive 40 assists and four kills this season, falling one dig short of another double-double. This would be Hybertson’s fifth match of the season with 40 or more assists, as she continues to establish herself as one of the nation’s top setters.
Waldorf found its footing in the fourth set, but a late Dakota Wesleyan run propelled the Tigers to a 3-1 victory over the previously undefeated Warriors, thanks to an impressive offensive performance.
On Wednesday, September 10th, DWU Volleyball will return to action in Orange City, Iowa, facing the Northwestern Red Raiders.
