#SummitVB Weekly Notebook: No. 8

SIOUX FALLS, SD – South Dakota State is looking to extend its perfect season, currently 16-0, with two road games. The Jackrabbits will face the Bison on Thursday night and the Tommies on Saturday afternoon.

North Dakota State leads the conference with an impressive 1.86 service aces per set, while St. Thomas leads the league in digs per set (16.71) and total digs (1,136).

Meanwhile, South Dakota is fresh off a win against North Dakota and will face defending conference champion Kansas City on Thursday, followed by a matchup against North Dakota State on Saturday. Omaha currently holds a 4-1 record in conference play, with its only loss coming at the hands of the undefeated Jackrabbits. The Mavericks travel to Denver on Thursday to take on the Pioneers before returning home for a thrilling matchup with Oral Roberts. The Pioneers will travel to Kansas City to take on the Roos on Saturday.

Kansas City, which is 1-4 in conference play, is working hard to turn the season around with key contributors from last year's championship team. Kaia Dunford has emerged as a standout player for the Roos, leading the Summit in kills per set (4.32) and total kills (95), while her teammate Leah Green leads the league in service aces with 14. Sydney Henry also made headlines, becoming one of just 29 Division I players to record a triple-double this season with 37 assists, 12 digs and 11 kills in a narrow 3-2 loss to North Dakota State.

North Dakota and Oral Roberts each have just one game this week. The Fighting Hawks travel to Minnesota to battle the Tommies on Thursday, while the Golden Eagles face Omaha on Saturday.

This promises to be an exciting fourth week of league action, starting with four games on Thursday, all starting at 7:00 p.m. CT on the Summit League Network.



This week in the Summit League (all times local)

Thursday, Oct. 17 | TV/Stream | local time
Kansas City and South Dakota | SLN | 7 p.m
North Dakota near St. Thomas | SLN | 7 p.m
State of South Dakota in the state of North Dakota | SLN | 7 p.m
Omaha in Denver | SLN | 6 p.m

Saturday, October 19th
Oral Roberts in Omaha | SLN | 12 o'clock
South Dakota State in St. Thomas | SLN | 12 o'clock
State of North Dakota. South Dakota | SLN | 14 o'clock
Denver near Kansas City| SLN | 14 o'clock

Tuesday, October 22nd
Oral Roberts in Denver | SLN | 6 p.m
Kansas City at Omaha | SLN | 7 p.m
South Dakota around. State of South Dakota | SLN | 7 p.m
State of North Dakota in North Dakota| SLN | 7 p.m



Around the league
• South Dakota State won both games last week, while Denver, North Dakota State, Oral Roberts, Omaha, South Dakota and St. Thomas each won a single game.
• SDSU continued its undefeated streak to start the season with wins over Omaha and North Dakota to improve to 16-0 overall and become the last undefeated team in Division I.
• SDSU blocks a league-best 3.05 blocks per set and averaged 4.0 blocks per set in a win over Omaha and 3.50 blocks per set in a win over UND.

• Omaha's McKenna Ruch reached 1,000 career kills after a Summit League win over North Dakota State to help the Mavericks go 1-1 over the weekend. Ruch also leads Summit with 1.81 blocks per set.
• South Dakota's Kylen Sealock set a career-high 21 kills in a 3-2 win over North Dakota. The Coyotes are 3-0 in Summit League games this season.
• NDSU's Logan O'Brien recorded a season-best 29 goals in a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Kansas City on Thursday.
• St. Thomas outside hitter Lauren Galvin set a career high with 22 kills in a 3-2 loss to Denver.
• Denver came back from a 13-7 deficit in the fifth set to beat St. Thomas. The Pioneers' Jamia Johnson had a career-high 16 kills in the win.
• Oral Roberts outside attacker Trinity Freeman earned her third match of the season with more than 20 kills. Freeman's 21-kill performance helped the Golden Eagles to a 3-1 win over Kansas City.
• Kansas City's Sydney Henry became the first Summit League and Division I 29 player to record a triple-double this season. She finished the five-set battle with NDSU collecting 37 assists, 12 digs and 11 kills.
• North Dakota set a season-high in total offense (188), behind a career-high by Lauren Perugini (44) and a season-high in block assists (30) in a 3-2 loss to South Dakota.



Results

Thursday, October 10th
St. Thomas 3, Oral Roberts 1
North Dakota State 3, Kansas City 2
South Dakota State 3, Omaha 0
South Dakota 3, North Dakota 2



Saturday, October 12th
Oral Roberts 3, Kansas City 1
Denver 3, St. Thomas 2
Omaha 3, North Dakota State 1
South Dakota State 3, North Dakota 1



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