By: DAN HOLSWORTH , Sports
Editor
The Trojans face NAU in
first-round NAIA Region Three play Friday at 8 p.m. in the St. Thomas More
High School Gym at Rapid City.
It will be a daunting task for the Trojans, considering that NAU has been
to the NAIA Nationals.
Last year, NAU made it into the NAIA's quarterfinals before dropping out
of the national tourney with a 31-3 record.
NAU has also won the national championship and is a past runner-up in this
decade.
This year, NAU has amassed a 20-4 record, including a current five-match
win streak, which was preceded earlier in the season by a nine-match
victory string.
DSU takes its 23-9 record up against NAU.
Talk to Micah Tolzin, one of the Trojans' starting middle hitters, and
she'll say her team is prepared for Friday's match.
"I feel we are a close-knit team, which should help us," said Tolzin, who
was named Wednesday to the All DAC-10's first team. "We are going to have
to play together, believing that we can beat them."
The Trojans will rely on the play of Tolzin; Amanda Vos-Keizer, who was
named to the loop's second honor team; Jill Weisser, Katie Lanoue, Ashley
Brassfield and Stacy Dunklau.
Vos-Keizer, DSU's all-time kills leader, spearheads a trio of attackers
against NAU. She carries into Friday's match 426 kills. Tolzin is close
behind with her 381 kills and Dunklau has 321.
The Trojans have a lopsided 1,709 to 418 kills edge over their foes this
season.
For Tolzin, the psychological part of playing volleyball is important.
"The mental preparation before a match is key for me," said the Sioux
Falls junior. "I am always in physical shape to play. Coach (Cynthia)
Henning makes sure of that in practice. I do know that on offense, we have
to play an all-around aggressive match against NAU."
Dunklau is DSU's top blocker, garnering 64 solo stops during the season,
but Tolzin is right behind with 63.
Like the Trojans' decided advantage in kills, the Trojans have limited
their opponents to just 34 unassisted blocks, while coming up with 190 of
their own.
On the service line, Weisser has come through with 51 ace serves, Tolzin
42 and Lanoue 38, helping the Trojans to a 91-percent success rate.
On defense, DSU has been paced by Brassfield, its premier libero player,
who has amassed 674 volley-saving digs this season, leading the team to a
2,567 digs season. Their foes have had just 668.
Even though the Trojans have had that decided defensive edge, Tolzin said,
"Defensively, we are going to have to step it up."
Overall, DSU have won 78 of the 125 games they have played this season,
putting together five- and six-match win streaks along the way.
NAU's top players are NAIA All-Americans Luciana Camargo, Kellen Foganholi
and All-Region team honoree Angela Gregorio.
Carmogo is NAU Coach Todd Lowery's go-to player.
She has earned 388 kills on offense, 221 digs on defense and has arched
across 32 aces serves -- all team-tops performances.
Complementing Carmago's kills work is Leslie DeSilva, who leads NAU with
24 solo blocks.
"We are going to have to serve and receive well," said Coach Lowery. "We
are a solid offensive team, blocking and attacking aggressively. If we can
get a few points from our defense, we should do well."
©Madison Daily Leader 2004
