NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. – Bismarck State opened its 2025 season, their inaugural season in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), with four games in two days at the Siouxland Invitational.
After dropping their first two matches on Friday, they bounced back with a strong showing on Saturday to bring their record to 2-2 as they wrap up their short nonconference schedule.
"I thought we played well," Bismarck State head coach
Kyle Kuether said. "It took us a couple of matches to find a rhythm, so today was nice to see them play well together. The NAIA is a faster pace and has extended rallies compared to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) level we were used to last year. It's good we were able to recognize that and make the necessary adjustments."
The weekend served as BSC's NAIA debut for all sports as they began their new era of competition against four-year athletic programs. Their debut against Frontier Conference opponents will come on Sept. 3 as they travel to Dickinson to take on their in-state rival, the Dickinson State Blue Hawks.
The home-opener will take place two days later as they welcome the nation's No. 2 team, the Bellevue Bruins. Fans are encouraged to attend what will be the final volleyball home opener played at the BSC Armory, with the Bavendick Center set to open in 2026.
Here's a breakdown of each game from the Siouxland Invitational:
GAME ONE vs WILLIAM PENN (Iowa)
|
Set One |
Set Two |
Set Three |
Set Four |
| Bismarck State (1) |
25 |
20 |
23 |
20 |
| William Penn (3) |
12 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
The Mystics came out of the gate with a purpose in their first set of the season as they grabbed the early lead on the Statesmen and didn't give it up. They tallied 12 kills at a .458 clip as they dominated their way to a convincing 25-12 first set win, capped off by a surgically placed kill.
That dominant first set by the Mystics lit a fire in the Statesmen, as they came out in the ensuing sets looking like a completely different team. William Penn took each of the next three sets to snatch up the match victory. A tight battle over the final two sets saw six lead changes and 17 ties.
Mystics Key Performers
- Reese Duchsherer led the offensive charge with a team-high 13 kills and 14.0 points, also adding four digs and two block assists on the defensive end
- Piper Harris anchored the back row with a team-high 11 digs and added two assists and 2.0 points
- Kate Zimmer and Delaney Deschamp directed the offense with 23 and 16 assists, respectively
Game Notes
- Despite the loss, the Mystics finished with a higher hitting percentage of .259 over the Statesmen's .158 clip
- Both teams had 14 blocks, but the Mystics committed 12 reception errors compared to the four committed by the Statesmen.
GAME TWO vs BRIAR CLIFF (Iowa)
|
Set One |
Set Two |
Set Three |
Set Four |
| Bismarck State (1) |
25 |
17 |
14 |
17 |
| Briar Cliff (3) |
23 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
The Mystics narrowly take set one against the Chargers in a set that saw eight lead changes and 14 tie scores. The Chargers take the next three sets and take the match victory despite a hitting percentage of .162. The Mystics couldn't rally and finish with a hitting percentage of .029.
Mystics Key Performers
Game Notes
- 15 service aces and 24 blocks by the Chargers proves to be difference-maker
GAME THREE vs SPARTANBURG METHODIST COLLEGE (S.C.)
|
Set One |
Set Two |
Set Three |
Set Four |
| Bismarck State (3) |
25 |
25 |
15 |
25 |
| Spartanburg Methodist (1) |
15 |
19 |
25 |
15 |
A team with something to prove, the Mystics went to work immediately on Saturday by taking the first two sets, hitting a combined .362 and outscoring the Pioneers 50-34. The Pioneers bounced back in set three where they didn't allow the Mystics to take a lead once. That effort wasn't enough as the Mystics found their groove for set four and tallied their first official victory as an NAIA program.
Mystics Key Performers
- Chelsa Krom (.600), Emerson Carufel (.524) and Summer Thomas (.500) all finish with a hitting percentage over .500 to lead the offensive charge
- Carufel and Krom also led the team with 13.0 and 12.0 points, respectively as five Mystics finish with 10.0 or more points
- Piper Harris leads the team in digs for a third-consecutive match with a staggering 27 digs.
- Kate Zimmer and Delaney Deschamp are one and two with assists once again with 25 and 20, respectively
Game Notes
- Four Mystics, Krom (12), Carufel (12), Duchsherer (10) and Brendel (10) finish with 10 or more kills
GAME FOUR vs BETHANY COLLEGE (Kan.)
|
Set One |
Set Two |
Set Three |
| Bismarck State (3) |
25 |
25 |
25 |
| Bethany (0) |
20 |
15 |
21 |
The dominant Saturday continues as the Mystics sweep the Bethany Swedes. The Swedes held the lead once during each set, taking the first point of sets one and two, and the first two points of the third set, and it was all Mystics after that. They outscored the Swedes 75-56 to recorded their second victory of the season, and head home with a record of 2-2.
Mystics Key Performers
Game Notes
- The Mystics record their first sweep of the season after notched 16 sweeps last season
