UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | September 08, 2024

Dixie volleyball bounces back

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The Dixie State University volleyball team took a sweeping 3-0 victory to Notre Dame de Namur University Monday night after three straight losses last weekend.

The Red Storm fought back from a painful three-game sweep in California, and NDNU couldn’t fight against their momentum. Dixie took the sweep 25-13, 25-18 and 25-13.

DSU took advantage of its team unity and struck the Argonauts hard when hits ricocheted off the NDNU players and hit the ceiling.

“We had a rough week last week in San Diego,” said sophomore setter Shelby Sorenson, a nursing major from Lehi. “We all just talked before the game, and we all decided that we’re all just going to come out and work as hard as we can and play together as a team.”

The Argonauts continued to struggle against the Storm when each pass made the setter off balance, giving DSU a 22-11 lead.

NDNU fought in rallies, but shanked passes gave Dixie the needed momentum to win as junior outside hitter Maddie Rex, a business major from Tucson, Ariz., ended the set with a kill the Argonauts couldn’t touch.

“It was fun,” Rex said. “It was nice to finally come out and beat a team like we should. Instead of just kind of playing with them, we came out and took care of business right away.”

Both teams battled in the second set, but DSU began to scrap for points, winning rallies with two pancakes in a row to take the lead.

NDNU called a timeout at 17-12 hoping to recover, but the Argonauts continued to shank passes as Dixie pulled away with the 25-18 win.

“We just came out and played like we know we can,” Sorenson said. “(We were) working toward momentum instead of working to win the game and focusing on every point. Every point counts. Every game counts.”

Senior outside hitter Pauline VonDinklage started the third set with an immediate kill. This was the beginning of another sweep as NDNU called two timeouts to restrain Dixie. The Argonauts came out on the court gaining a few points, but the Storm focused on every possession and earned the sideout.

“We came out with a lot more confidence,” Rex said. “There was a lot more urgency. We needed a win so badly, and we just came out and took care of business.”

The Argonauts lost control when DSU persevered, pounding each kill into the ground. The Storm ran with a 25-13 win and never looked back.

“We have the confidence, and we’re going to keep working every day in practice,” Sorenson said. “If we feel like that, we can beat anybody.”

The Storm play Holy Names University Saturday in the Student Activities Center at noon.