Kansas City
12-3,3-0Summit League
South Dakota
6-7,0-2Summit League
Roos Defeat Coyotes, Win Third Straight to Start Summit Play
9/29/2023 12:10:00 AM | Volleyball
The Roos stopped the Coyotes' streak and maintained their 3-0 Summit League record
VERMILLION, S.D. - Kansas City Volleyball extended its undefeated Summit League record this evening, defeating South Dakota in a four-set match, 3-1 (14-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-18). Odyssey Warren and Kaia Dunford both contributed 13 kills for the Roos, with Carly Gillen adding 12 of her own on .524 hitting. Sydney Henry dished out 40 assists, guiding the Roos' offense, which hit the ball at a .309 clip after the first set. Caroline Keithley, Warren and Dunford each tallied two service aces.
SET-BY-SET VS. SOUTH DAKOTA
- SET ONE / 14 - 25 | Sila Ozyurek secured the Roos' first point with an assist from Sydney Henry. Despite the Coyotes taking a lead of up to six points, Dunford's initial kill of the night aimed to halt their momentum. However, the Roos struggled to mount a comeback due to a series of errors.
- SET TWO / 25 - 18 | Warren quickly notched two kills to seize control of set two. The Coyotes managed to battle back, tying the score at 3-3, but thanks to a block and a pair of kills by  Gillen, the Roos were able to assert themselves with an 8-6 lead. Dunford continued to apply pressure, and then Keithley came through with her first serving ace of the match, prompting a timeout from USD with the score at 12-7. Although the Coyotes narrowed the gap to a two-point game, Henry capitalized on a setup for a kill and followed it up with a serving ace, making it 15-11. The Roos maintained their advantage as Whetstone and Warren contributed a pair of kills, but it was Dunford who delivered the set-winning kill.
- SET THREE / 25 - 16Â | Dunford wasted no time, immediately earning two serving aces thanks to a Coyotes' serving error, propelling the Roos to a 3-0 lead. Leah Green masterminded two effective setups for Warren, pushing the Roos' advantage to 8-2, prompting a timeout called by USD. Although the Coyotes made a comeback, narrowing the deficit to just three points, Warren swiftly put a stop to South Dakota's progress, resulting in a score of 10-6. The Coyotes responded, but so did Gillen and Whetstone, bringing the score to 12-8. Gillen received two expertly placed passes, further extending Kansas City's lead. Nevertheless, it was Dunford once again who clinched the set victory with a stellar performance, tallying three kills and securing yet another set win for the Roos.
- SET FOUR / 25 - 18Â | The Coyotes came out strong, but Whetstone and Ozyurek quickly pushed the Roos to a 5-3 lead. Henry then adjusted her strategy and provided Gillen with three exceptional passes, while Dunford also chipped in to make it 9-6. The Roos remained in command on the court, unaffected by South Dakota's determined efforts. They closed out the set with three serving aces, concluding it with a score of 21-16. Nonetheless, it was once more Dunford who delivered the decisive strike, securing the win for the Roos.
COACH CHRISTI POSEY, QUOTED
"After a disappointing first set, we settled in a bit better and managed to point score with effective defense and transition. By the third and fourth set we were able to execute much better in our side-out."
"Kimora was exceptional at the net, while Kaia had a terrific all-around match. Sydney found Carly, who attacked with great variety and a high efficiency."Â
"It was a very good win, as South Dakota has gotten the better of us over the last few years - but I was most pleased how we responded after the first set. With each match, there is learning taking place, but we'll need more consistency to meet our goals."
STATS TO NOTE
The Roos had a superior hitting percentage of .231, compared to the Coyotes' .150.
Kansas City recorded a total of 12 blocks, which was six more than South Dakota and marked KC's seventh double-digit blocking performance.
Dunford, Green and Keithley all secured two serving aces each, contributing to the Roos' total of eight.
Leah Green led KC with 20 digs, while Dunford, Henry and Warren each tallied 13-plus and finished with double-doubles.
UP NEXTÂ
The Roos return Home for a match against Oral Roberts Saturday at 1 p.m.
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