Jackson County Central graduate Alaina Wolff and the South Dakota volleyball team had its season come to an end Thursday with a tense 3-2 loss to Houston in the first round of the NCAA volleyball tournament in Omaha.
The Cougars won the first two sets, 25-14, 25-19. The Coyotes took the next two, 25-18, 25-23. Houston won the fifth set 15-11.
The set was tied 10-10, Houston scored four in a row to make it 14-10. USD closed to within 14-11 before the Cougars won it.
Alaina Wolff had eight digs for USD, which finished with a 29-4 record.
ICYMI, the fourth set of that match featured this remarkable rally:
Wolff played in all 33 matches and 126 out of 18 sets for the Coyotes this season.
She totaled 252 digs (2.0 per set) and was 374-418 serving for a .895 percentage. Alaina was second on the team in ace serves with 32.
It was the fourth NCAA tournament appearances for South Dakota and the first time the Coyotes won a set. USD was swept by Creighton in 2018, Missouri in 2020 and Minnesota in 2021.
Heron Lake-Okabena-Lakefield grad Lindsay Wilber's Dakota Wesleyan team won its pool at the NAIA volleyball tournament to advance to the national quarterfinals, the deepest tournament run in school history.
At the national tourney in Sioux City the Tigers defeated Southern Oregon 3-0 and MidAmerica Nazarene 3-1 in pool play. In bracket play GPAC rival Midland beat Wesleyan 3-0.
Northwestern was not able to advance out of its pool at the NAIA tourney, losing 3-1 to Marian (Ind.) and beating Southwestern Assemblies of God University 3-0. JCC grad Lacey (Wacker) Reitz is an assistant coach for the Red Raiders.
Three former Martin County and one former JCC wrestler were in the lineup for Augustana as the Vikings won a pair of duals in Chadron, Neb. Sunday, beating San Francisco State 27-14 and Western Colorado 25-9.
Two of the Red Bulls were 2-0 on the day as sixth-ranked Jaxson Rohman won a 9-4 decision and by fall at 125 pounds and seventh-ranked Miles Fitzgerald won 3-1 and 12-2 at 157.
Also, Connor Simmonds lost his only match of the day vs. SFS.
JCC grad Jacob Tvinnereim went 1-1 at 174, winning 9-4 and losing 8-7. Augustana hosts Minnesota State Moorhead in a dual Friday.
Jackson County Central graduate Payton Handevidt, a freshman at Augustana, won four matches to win the 157-pound title in the White Division of the Dragon Open wrestling tournament hosted by Minnesota State Moorhead.
He won his first two matches by fall, won a major decision in the semifinals and in sudden victory overtime in the finals.
Martin County West graduate Lucas Jagodzinske, a first year wrestler at Augsburg, won five straight matches after losing his first match to place third at 149 pounds at the Milwaukee School of Engineering Invitational Saturday. Those wins came by decision, fall, technical fall, decision and fall.
MCW grad Blake Jagodzionske, a sophomore at Augsburg, was fourth at 157, going 3-2.
Martin County West graduate Alyssa Williamson scored five points and had two assists, one rebound and one steal as Hamline defeated St. Olaf 58-46 in MIAC women’s basketball Saturday.
Last Wednesday she led the Pipers with 14 points and added eight rebounds and three assists in a 54-48 win over Bethel. Hamline hosts Carleton Wednesday and St. Benedict Saturday.
Two Windom graduates are members of the Dordt men’s hockey that won a shootout over Nebraska at home in Sioux Center Saturday as the Defenders won the MACHA Division 3 Central Division regular-season title and claimed a bid to the MACHA Tournament in St. Louis in February.
Freshman defenseman Zach Espenson has eight goals and 10 assists on the season for 18 points and sophomore forward Alex Espenson has five goals and eight assists for 13 points.
Dordt hosts Omaha Friday and Saturday and then is idle from game competition for more than a month.
Fairmont graduate Allison Lardy, a fifth year thrower at North Dakota, placed second in the weight throw with a toss of 58-5 1/4 at a meet in Fargo Friday. She also finished fourth in the shot put (44-7).
Fairmont grad Conner Tordsen competed unattached at the SDSU Holiday Invitational indoor track and field meet Friday. He’ll join Dakota State in January.
He won the weight throw with an effort of 60 feet, 6.75 inches, was second in the discus throw with a personal best of 167-9 and ninth in the shot put at 46-6.75.