Weekend Road Trip Begins with Win for No. 18 Warriors

MITCHELL, S.D. – No. 18 Midland University opened its weekend with a hard-fought four-set victory over Dakota Wesleyan University in Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) action on Friday night. The Warriors prevailed in four sets over the Tigers (26-24, 14-25, 25-21, 25-22) inside the Christen Family Athletic Center.

The opening set saw Midland take an early lead with a 9-4 run, forcing a timeout from the home bench. The momentum shifted as Dakota Wesleyan battled back, narrowing the gap to 16-14. Their rally continued, even after a Midland timeout, and the Tigers took control with a 19-17 lead, prompting another timeout from the Warriors.

The teams traded points, and with DWU on set point, leading 24-22, Midland dug deep and scored four consecutive points to win the opening set 26-24. Lauren Jones recorded two key kills to close out the set, leading the team with five kills overall. Claire Johnson added four kills as the Warriors hit .140 as a team. The Tigers, who hit .175, also contributed four service errors, including a crucial one while they were on set point.

In the second set, Dakota Wesleyan rode the energy of the home crowd to a strong start, building a 10-4 lead. Midland struggled to find consistency, managing back-to-back points only once, as the Tigers cruised to a 25-14 win. The Warriors had seven kills and seven errors, hitting .000, while DWU hit a match-best .357 with 11 kills and only one error.

Midland bounced back in the third set, jumping to a 7-2 lead. Dakota Wesleyan cut the lead to 12-10 before the Warriors regrouped with a quick timeout. After the break, Midland responded with a 9-4 run, extending their lead to 21-14. Despite a late rally by the Tigers, the Warriors held on for a 25-21 victory. Abbey Ringler led the set with five kills, while Lauren Williams came off the bench to provide a spark, recording six kills and a block assist. Midland hit .188 with 18 kills and 9 errors, while DWU hit .125 with 9 kills and 4 errors.

The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle, with the teams splitting the first 10 points (5-5). After a series of small runs, they were tied again at 13-13 following an ace by DWU. However, a service error by the Tigers gave the Warriors a 14-13 lead. With Stella Kuehl at the service line, Midland went on a four-point run, including a service ace and two kills by Ringler, to take an 18-13 lead. Dakota Wesleyan responded with an impressive six-point run to go up 21-20, forcing a Midland timeout.

After the break, Midland scored four consecutive points to reach match point. A service error gave DWU a brief reprieve, but a block by Brooklynn Snyder and Jacki Apel sealed the set 25-22 and the match 3-1.

"It wasn't always pretty, but any GPAC road win is a good win," said head coach Paul Giesselmann. "Give Dakota Wesleyan credit; they played inspired defense tonight. I liked how our team hung in there during sets three and four and made plays when it mattered. Lauren Williams gave us a big spark off the bench to help secure the win."

For the match, Midland hit .145 with 55 kills on 165 attempts. Dakota Wesleyan hit .167 with 40 kills on 156 attempts and won the defensive battle at the net with 15 blocks compared to Midland's five.

Midland's offense was well-balanced, with three players finishing in double figures in kills. Lauren Jones led with 12, while Claire Johnson and Abbey Ringler added 10 each. Lauren Williams, who played the final two sets, contributed 8 kills.

Brena Mackling and Stella Kuehl coordinated the attack, with Mackling tallying 23 assists and Kuehl adding 22. On defense, Delanie Vallinch anchored the back row with 29 digs, just one shy of her season high. Kailyn Scott (16), Delainey Cast (11), and Kuehl (10) also reached double figures in digs. Kuehl and Scott each added two service aces.

Midland (10-7, 6-1 GPAC) will continue its weekend road trip on Saturday afternoon, taking on Waldorf (8-8, 2-5 GPAC) inside Hanson Fieldhouse in Forest City, Iowa. The match is scheduled for a 12:30 p.m. start.