The Valley City State volleyball team opened conference tournament play with a sweep over Dickinson Friday night at the Bubble, 25-17, 25-22, 25-17.
 
VCSU posted a .219 hitting percentage Friday night, its best hitting efficiency in the Bubble since the last win against Mayville on Oct. 24 when the Vikings hit .212. VCSU improves to 15-13 on the season and ends Dickinson's season at 5-21 overall.
 
The Vikings battled with Dickinson in the first set, exchanging points and keeping the scoring lead within points through most of the match. Later in the first set, Emma Lucas sparked a run with a kill that helped them gain a lead of 18-16. The Vikings ended the set with three strong kills from Macy Fridgen that helped the Vikings take the first set victory, 25-17.
 
Macy Fridgen then started the second set with a kill to help the Vikings pull ahead with a 5-1 lead over the Blue Hawks. JayCee Richter added a service ace and Emma Lucas contributed a strong kill to this mix. The Vikings kept a nice 5-point lead over the next few points and pulled away with a kill from Macy Fridgen to help them advance to a 17-9 lead in the second set.
 
A kill from Dickinson's Scarlette Schwindt helped them spark a 5-point run helping the Blue Hawks battle back. They came within three points, 22-18, but the Vikings offense held on, and Morgan Nelson closed out the set with a nice assist from Sadie Hansen.
 
Starting the third set, the Vikings battled for points with the Blue Hawks. Hansen was able to find Morgan Freije for a kill that helped spark a 5-point run. The Vikings kept a nice lead throughout the third set with a large 8-point lead, 20-12, nearing the end of the third set. The Blue Hawks started their battle back, and came within six points, but VCSU's Eden Carrier put up a kill to help the Vikings sweep the Blue Hawks in the first round of NSAA tournament play.
 
Macy Fridgen led the Vikings with 13 kills and Morgan Nelson followed close behind with nine. Rosie Anderson and Morgan Freije also put up a notable seven kills. Freije and Lucas both contributed two blocks at the net for VCSU.
 
Sadie Hansen contributed 38 set assists, two digs and two kills in the match. JayCee Richter totaled 17 digs for the Vikings. Ellie Rush and Reagan Bogenreif both chipped in 11 and Delanie Clarke helped with six.
 
Dickinson's McKenzie Moser led the Blue Hawks with ten kills in the match. Rylee Kogolshak finished with 30 assists and seven digs Friday. Aubrey Allison led all players with 24 digs for the Blue Hawks.
 
UP NEXT: VCSU travels to face No. 1 seed Bellevue in the semifinal of the NSAA conference tournament next Friday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.