MOBRIDGE, S.D. – The Mobridge-Pollock Lady Tigers opened the 2026 volleyball season with a three-set sweep over regional rival Chamberlain, giving first-year head coach Trudy Kemnitz a win in her debut.
The Lady Tigers came out strong in the opening set, getting some big hits early from Dawsyn Wientjes, who stepped into a bigger role for Mobridge-Pollock and helped set the tone from the start. Bentley Bauer also made an early impact after gaining valuable varsity experience as an eighth grader last season. One of the biggest positives for the Lady Tigers was the play of their young setters, as Avery Schlomer and Sophie Keller both looked comfortable in their roles and did a good job keeping the offense moving. Mobridge-Pollock carried that early momentum throughout the set and cruised to a 25-12 win.
Chamberlain made adjustments in the second set and put up a much stronger fight. Freshman Kirbie Mosel and Rory Hickey both played important roles in keeping the Cubs within striking distance, while Alexandra Schmiedt and Nicole Schmiedt provided plenty of offense from the outside. The Lady Tigers continued to find ways to answer the Chamberlain push, eventually creating enough separation to take the set 25-21 and move one set away from the sweep.
The third set was the sloppiest of the night for the young Lady Tiger squad, particularly from the service line, as serving errors allowed Chamberlain to hang around until the very end. Mobridge-Pollock stayed composed, however, and was able to make the plays needed late in the set to pull away and complete the three-set sweep with another 25-21 victory.
Dawsyn Wientjes was named the Burger King Player of the Game for her performance and her role in setting the tone for Mobridge-Pollock throughout the season opener.
Mobridge-Pollock will return to action Tuesday, September 1 when they host Herreid/Selby Area to kick off Homecoming Week, first serve will be around 7:30 p.m.
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