The Jackrabbit volleyball team only has one game this week, and it’s against regional rival North Dakota in Grand Forks.
South Dakota State has had a rough season up to this point, sitting at a 4-15 record going into last week before winning two games against St. Thomas, 3-0, and league leading Kansas City, 3-2 and dropping one to South Dakota 3-2 earlier in the week.
Outside hitter Sylvie Zgonc was rewarded for her efforts as Summit League Offensive Peak Performer of the Week which was announced Tuesday. The freshman led the league with 58 total kills averaging 4.45 per set helping the Jacks win two out of the three games on their schedule last week.
SDSU (4-6 Summit League) now sits at a much more favorable position in the conference standings at sixth. One spot above their opponent this week.
The Fighting Hawks (6-16, 3-7 Summit) are coming fresh off a 1-2 week getting swept by in-state rival NDSU, losing to Denver pushing it to all five sets, and sweeping Oral Roberts in their 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Betty in Grand Forks.
UND hit at a .255 clip limiting the Golden Eagles to just .068. Izzie McCormick paced the Hawks with two aces while the team totaled five. Teagan Timperley, Maddy Hornyak and Eilzabeth Norris all had one.
After a close first set between North Dakota and ORU, the Golden Eagles jumped out to an early lead before UND closed the gap. After an 8-0 run in the middle of the frame, the Hawks found themselves up 22-19. Oral Roberts fought off four straight points to tie the set, but UND got the advantage off back-to-back errors from the away team.
South Dakota State, meanwhile, found a way to push Kansas City the distance for their first five-set win this season.
The Jacks jumped out to a 2-set lead over the Roos. They led 12-11 before Kansas City went on a 5-0 run to put them ahead. KC ended the set with eight straight points to turn the tide.
The fourth set was tight throughout until a 3-0 stretch put the Roos up 13-10. An error by Kansas City and a Faith Saewert ace helped the Jacks back into striking distance before a Van Egdom kill tied it up. KC then pulled away and held onto the lead to win the set 25-23.
In the fifth frame, Sydni Schetnan put down a kill giving the Jacks an 8-6 lead. Tied at 10, the Jacks tallied five of the final six points to get the 15-11 set win and the match win advancing in the all-time series 13-12.
The Jacks look to take their first consecutive wins this season into the Betty in Grand Forks for a Thursday evening matchup with first serve set for 7 p.m.
The next match for the Jackrabbits will be at the Bentson-Bunker Fieldhouse in Fargo against North Dakota State next Thursday at 7 p.m.
