Kansas City
4-17,2-8Summit League
South Dakota
15-6,7-3Summit League
Kansas City Shows Fight but Falls Short Against South Dakota
10/26/2024 5:32:00 PM | Volleyball
Roos Display Strong Defense Despite Four-Set Loss
KANSAS CITY, MO -Kansas City put up a spirited effort but ultimately fell to South Dakota in four sets (8-25, 25-23, 17-25, 19-25) The Roos showcased one of their best defensive performances at the net this season, outblocking the Coyotes 12-4, but struggled to maintain consistency on offense. Kaia Dunford led Kansas City with a team-high 12 kills, while Ledisi Kpea anchored the defense with six block assists.
SET-BY-SET VS. South DakotaÂ
SET ONE / 8-25: Kansas City faced a challenging start, with South Dakota jumping out to an early lead. The Roos managed to keep it close at the beginning, trailing 5-7, but a series of attack errors allowed the Coyotes to go on a 10-2 run, pushing the score to 17-7. Despite recording five kills in the set, Kansas City struggled to find their rhythm as South Dakota capitalized on the Roos' miscues and maintained a .583 hitting percentageÂ
SET TWO / 25-23: Kansas City showed resilience in the second set, bouncing back to even the match at one set apiece. The Roos traded points with South Dakota in a tightly contested frame filled with multiple lead changes and intense rallies. Kansas City took a narrow 15-12 lead, capitalizing on South Dakota's errors and a well-placed service ace by Leah Green. The Coyotes, however, fought back to tie the score at 20-20, Following a strategic timeout by Kansas City, Kaia Dunford stepped up with clutch kills, pushing the Roos ahead to 23-21. Although South Dakota closed the gap to 24-23, Sydney Henry secured the set for Kansas City with a decisive kill, assisted by Coco Buschhorn.
SET THREE / 17-25: Kansas City fought hard to keep the third set competitive, staying within striking distance at 13-16 with crucial kills from Kaia Dunford and solid defensive work at the net by Ledisi Kpea. The Roos showed resilience, but a few attack errors hindered their ability to close the gap. Kansas City continued to battle, but South Dakota capitalized on key moments to close out the set, ending with a 25-17
SET FOUR / 19-25: Kansas City came out determined to extend the match, keeping the score tight and showing fight throughout the set. The Roos were within reach at 17-21, with Kaia Dunford and Nyle Mathis contributing important kills and Ledisi Kpea making an impact with timely blocks. However, a couple of service errors and attack miscues slowed their momentum. Despite the Roos' efforts to push back and stay in contention, the Coyotes maintained enough of a cushion to finish the set at 25-19, sealing the match.
STATS TO NOTE
- Kansas City out-blocked South Dakota 12-4, marking one of their strongest defensive performances at the net this season.Â
- The Roos recorded 34 kills against the Coyotes, with Kaia Dunford leading the way with a team-high 12. This was Dunford's 14th match of the season with double-digit kills. She also contributed defensively with six digs and four blocks
- Ledisi Kpea was a force at the net, leading the team with six block assists and adding three kills
UP NEXT
Kansas City returns home to face Omaha on Saturday, November 2nd, at 1 p.m.
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