Volleyball Bested by Bisons in Straight Sets

FARGO, ND -Kansas City put up a valiant effort against North Dakota State, with standout performances from several key players despite falling in straight sets (17-25, 23-25, 16-25). Kaia Dunford led the offense with 11 kills and added an ace, contributing 12 points overall. Sydney Henry showcased her versatility, recording 4 kills on a .444 hitting percentage, 17 assists, 9 digs, and 6 points. Defensively, Sila Ozyurek tallied 3 blocks, while Brooke Boyer added 3 aces and 4 digs.

SET-BY-SET VS. North Dakota State

SET ONE / 17-25: North Dakota State opened set one with a block, but Sila Ozyurek and Sydney Henry responded with kills to tie it at 1-1 and 2-2. Kaia Dunford kept Kansas City close at 5-6, and Ozyurek added another kill at 6-7. Nyle Mathis broke the Bison's momentum with a kill at 8-14, while Dunford and Brooke Boyer sparked a late push, cutting the score to 11-18. Despite strong defensive efforts from Leah Green and Henry, Kansas City couldn't close the gap, dropping the set 25-17.

SET TWO / 23-25: Sydney Henry and Kaia Dunford leading Kansas City early, with Henry's kill tying it at 1-1 and Dunford adding key points to keep the Roos close. Kailee Deffebaugh's kill and ace gave Kansas City a 7-6 lead, and Brooke Boyer's back-to-back aces pushed the score to 21-18. Dunford kept the offence alive with another kill at 22-19, but despite their efforts, Kansas City fell short as North Dakota State edged them 25-23.

SET THREE / 16-25: Kimora Whetstone starts strong with a solo block, followed by a kill from Kaia Dunford to give Kansas City an early 3-1 lead. Whetstone and Sila Ozyurek teamed up for another block at 5-3, while Nyle Mathis tied it at 6-6 with a kill. Ledisi Kpea added two consecutive kills to keep the Roos competitive at 8-8. Dunford continued to shine with a kill and a service ace, narrowing the gap to 15-19. Despite strong efforts from Henry and the Kansas City offense, North Dakota State's steady play sealed the set at 25-16.

STATS TO NOTE

Kaia Dunford topped the team with 11 kills and added an ace, finishing with 12 total points to lead the Roos' attack.
Sydney Henry excelled with a .444 hitting percentage, 17 assists, and 9 digs, contributing both offensively and defensively.
Brooke Boyer made an impact at the service line with 3 aces and added 4 digs to support the defensive effort

UP NEXT:
The Roos are back home to face Omaha on Tuesday, November 19th, at 7 PM.