Kansas City
1-15,0-3Summit League
North Dakota State
8-4,2-0Summit League
Kansas City Pushes North Dakota State to the Verge in Five-Set Duel
10/2/2025 10:25:00 PM | Volleyball
Roos take two sets in front of home crowd, showing grit despite loss
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Volleyball (1-15, 0-3 Summit League) fed off the Swinney Center crowd Thursday night, taking North Dakota State (8-4, 2-0 Summit League) all the way to a deciding fifth set before falling in a 3-2 thriller (22-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-18, 15-6). The Roos' inspired play nearly gave them their first win in league action and highlighted a growing confidence within the young squad.
The Roos came out strong in the opening frame, battling point for point with the Bison before closing the set 25-22. Ryanne Wattree and Emry Brown carried the offense early, while Ledisi Kpea's presence at the net helped Kansas City establish momentum. The second set slipped away in the late stages, but KC answered back immediately in the third, taking another 25-21 win that put the Roos back on top, 2-1.
North Dakota State rallied with a big fourth-set push, forcing the deciding frame. Despite the fifth set getting away early, Kansas City's resilience was evident throughout the night. The Roos finished with 45 kills, nine service aces, and nine team blocks, continuing to show progress in key areas of the match.
Individually, Brown led the team with 10 kills and added three digs, while Wattree matched her with 10 kills of her own and chipped in seven digs. Kpea had a standout defensive night at the net, tallying eight total blocks and contributing six kills. Freshman Stella Smith added seven kills and two blocks, while Mia Weaver provided balance on both ends with seven kills, 16 digs, and two aces.
Setters Chloe Kaminski and Lyla Jones combined for 34 assists, keeping the KC attack in rhythm against a tough Bison defense. Defensively, Alaina Larson posted 10 digs, and Weaver and Jones together added 31 digs to keep long rallies alive. The Roos' serving proved dangerous as well, with nine aces spread among four players.
Kansas City will look to build on the positives of the five-set battle as they remain at home for their next Summit League matchup against North Dakota at 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
