Kansas City
6-22,4-12Summit League
#3 South Dakota
19-9,10-6Summit League
Kansas City Volleyball Ends Season in Summit League Quarterfinals
11/24/2024 9:32:00 PM | Volleyball
Roos Fall to South Dakota Despite Strong Performances from Dunford and Henry
KANSAS CITY, MO - Kansas City's volleyball season concluded in the Summit League Quarterfinals with a straight-sets loss to South Dakota. Kaia Dunford led the offense with 11 kills while Sydney Henry contributed 25 assists, 9 digs, and a .400 hitting percentage. Nyle Mathis also made her presence known with 7 kills. Despite their efforts and flashes of strong play, the Roos couldn't overcome South Dakota's consistent performance, ending their 2024 campaign.
SET-BY-SET VS. South DakotaÂ
SET ONE / 11-25:Â South Dakota jumped to an early lead in the first set, but Kansas City found moments to fight back. Sydney Henry set up Nyle Mathis for a kill to make it 3-10, and Henry later assisted Ledisi Kpea to bring the score to 5-12. Kaia Dunford added a kill and a service ace, cutting the deficit to 8-19. Despite additional kills from Ryanne Wattree and Mathis late in the set, the Roos couldn't close the gap, dropping the first set 25-11.
SET TWO / 19-25: Kansas City's fought to keep pace with South Dakota out the gate as  Mathis sparked the offence with an early kill, assisted by Leah Green, giving the Roos a 2-1 lead. Dunford delivered key kills, including one at 11-15, to keep the team within striking distance. Henry added a crucial kill to narrow the deficit to 15-19, while Kimora Whetstone and Dunford combined for a block at 18-22. Ultimately, South Dakota's consistency sealed the set, handing Kansas City a 25-19
SET THREE / 15-25: Kansas City started the third set strong with Kaia Dunford delivering an early kill, assisted by Sydney Henry, to take a 1-0 lead. Dunford and Sila Ozyurek added more kills to keep the Roos competitive at 4-7. Ledisi Kpea made her presence felt with back-to-back kills, narrowing the gap to 8-15. Despite strong contributions from Ryanne Wattree and Nyle Mathis late in the set, Kansas City couldn't overcome South Dakota's momentum, falling 25-14 to close the match.
STATS TO NOTE
- Kaia Dunford led the team with 11 kills, demonstrating her offensive leadership.
- Sydney Henry tallied 25 assists and 9 digs, contributing both offensively and defensively.
- Nyle Mathis added 7 kills, providing consistent support at the net.
