photo courtesy of VCSU Athletics
VALLEY CITY, N.D. (vcsuvikings.com) – Valley City State tallied 64 kills and 17 aces in the conference opener Wednesday night as they defeated Dickinson State in the conference-opener, 23-25, 25-18, 25-16, 23-25, 15-8.
Three Vikings recorded double-doubles in the win. Freshman Clarissa Hilary paced the Vikings with team-high 43 assists and 23 digs. Katie Juarez tallied 15 kills and 16 digs while Kallene Klever recorded 11 assists and 14 digs. Nissa Johnson also pounded a career-high 15 kills and Maara Nelson added 14. Kylie Erickson tallied a team-high seven aces in the Viking win.
The Vikings and Blue Hawks started the battle early in set one and holding a tie at 15-15. Dickinson State seemed to lock in the first set, holding a 24-20 advantage when the Vikings scored on three straight kills to bring it to 24-23 in favor of the Blue Hawks. A final kill from Dickinson’s Alyssa Andress secured the first set for the Blue Hawks, 25-23.
In set two, Valley City State pulled away early, leading by as much as six points at 18-12 after a pair of Kylie Erickson aces. Dickinson State rallied back with a 6-2 run to trail by only two at 20-18. It was all Valley City State from there as a Bailey Nelson kill finished it for the Vikings, 25-18.
The two continued to battle early on in the third set, holding onto a 14-14 tie. Nissa Johnson pounded a game-changing kill, sending the Vikings on a six-point rally to lead 20-14. Another kill from Johnson gave the Vikings a final rally to finish off the set, taking the 25-16 win.
Dickinson State fired up in the fourth set, holding a big 21-14 lead. The Vikings took the next seven points including four kills from Maara Nelson to tie things up at 21. Dickinson State took the next three, but Maara Nelson pounded another kill to stop the Blue Hawks’ set-point. An ace from Clarissa Hilary brought the Vikings within one, but a block from Dickinson State’s Shaina Solon and Mackenna Johnson gave them set four, 25-23.
Valley City State gained their momentum back in the fifth set, taking a 7-1 lead and forcing a Blue Hawk timeout. Dickinson State started a five-point rally to make it 11-6 when the Vikings took a timeout of their own. It seemed to be just what they needed to finish the match, scoring the next three and finishing on an ace from Juarez to take the final set, 15-8.
Valley City State improves to 1-5 overall and 1-0 in the North Star Athletic Association. Dickinson State falls to 0-1 overall and 0-1 in the conference.
Up next: Valley City State hosts Presentation College for a non-conference game on Friday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m.