Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball at North Dakota on October 21, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
/
7:00 p.m.
Women's Volleyball
at North Dakota
South Dakota State University Athletics
Friday, September 1
Brookings, S.D.
7 p.m.
South Dakota State University
vs
CSU Bakersfield
Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen
Volleyball Hosts Jackrabbits Invitational
8/30/2017 8:15:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
| Â MATCHES 4-6: South Dakota State (1-2) CSU Bakersfield (1-2); Valparaiso (1-2); Northern Arizona (1-2) |
| Â When | Â Friday, Sept. 1 | 7 p.m. | Â Saturday, Sept. 2 | 10:30 a.m. & 6 p.m. |
|  Where |  Frost Arena I Brookings, S.D. |  Frost Arena I Brookings, S.D. |
| Â Live Video | Â GoJacks.com/watch | Â GoJacks.com/watch |
| Â Live Stats | Â GoJacks.com | Â GoJacks.com |
| Â Game Notes | Â South Dakota State | CSU Bakersfield | Valparaiso I Northern Arizona | |
| Â Social Media | Â Twitter | Facebook | #StriveTogether | |
After opening the 2017 season on the road last weekend, the South Dakota State volleyball team returns to the friendly confines of Frost Arena Friday and Saturday for the Hampton Inn Jackrabbits Invitational.
CSU Bakersfield vs. Valparaiso begins the invitational at 12:30 p.m. Friday, followed by the Crusaders against Northern Arizona at 4:30 p.m. The Jackrabbits make their home debut at 7 p.m. vs. the Roadrunners.
Saturday's action starts with SDSU playing Valpo at 10:30 a.m. The Lumberjacks and the Roadrunners meet at 1 p.m. followed by the Jackrabbits playing Northern Arizona at 6 p.m.
This past weekend South Dakota State opened its 52nd season at the Pepsi Panther Invitational. It finished 1-2 with a win over host Milwaukee (3-0) and losses to Virginia Tech (3-0) and Idaho State (3-1).
CSU Bakersfield enters the weekend 1-2 after losing its first two matches—Arkansas (3-1) and Utah State (3-1)—at the Arkansas Tournament and then beating Louisiana-Monroe (3-0).
Valparaiso opened the season at Notre Dame's Golden Dome Invitational and finished 1-2. It lost to the Irish (3-1) and New Mexico State (3-1) before defeating Rhode Island (3-0).
Northern Arizona won its opener over Southern Illinois (3-2) at the Miami Invitational in Ohio. The Lumberjacks then lost to Western Kentucky (3-0) and Miami (3-1).
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Looking for something to do this weekend? Come to the Hampton Inn Jackrabbits Invitational, starting Fri. afternoon. https://t.co/qsW6ei9zEC pic.twitter.com/ckThJq1WZs
— JackrabbitVolleyball (@GoJacksVB) August 30, 2017
Setting the Scene
- South Dakota State is hosting its first tournament since 2014 when it held the Jackrabbit Invitational and the SDSU Challenge. The Jackrabbits are 7-4 in Jackrabbit Invitational matches.
- Friday night is State's home opener and it is 37-15 (.711) overall. The last home-opening win was Sept. 4, 2012, when the Jackrabbits defeated North Dakota, 3-0.
- South Dakota State is in its 52nd season overall and 13th in the Division I era. The Jackrabbits sport an 895-685-8 (.563) all-time record and 174-234 (.426) mark in Division I play. State is 343-178 (.658) all-time in Frost Arena.
- The Jackrabbits meet CSU Bakersfield and Northern Arizona for the first time while the Crusaders and the Jacks have battled five times over the years.
A Quick Glance at South Dakota State
- Third-year head coach Nicole Cirillo's probable starters are sophomores Makenzie Hennen (2.20 kps) and Ashlynn Smith (1.10 kps) on the outside, junior Sierra Peterson (2.80 kps, .303 & 0.70 bps) on the right side; junior Payton Richardson (1.5 kps & 1.0 bps) and freshman Macy Smith (1.5 kps & .281) are in the middle; junior Mattison Munger (8.30 aps) setting and senior Ellie Benson (2.90 dps) as libero.
- In the Pepsi Panther Invitational, Peterson led the Jackrabbits offensively, recording 2.8 kills, .303 hitting percentage, five service aces and seven total blocks.
- The 2017 SDSU volleyball roster features 14 players from nine states. Of the 14 players, two are from South Dakota, four from Iowa, two from Nebraska and one each from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin. By class, the Jacks have one senior, three juniors, three sophomores and seven freshmen.
This Weekend's Opponents
CSU Bakersfield (1-2)—CSU Bakersfield is 1-2 on the season after losing to Arkansas and Utah State and beating Louisiana-Monroe in the Arkansas Tournament last weekend.
- The Roadrunners are hitting .171 as a team with their offensive attack coming from outside hitter Briannah Mariner. The junior leads the squad in kills per set (2.44) and has a .265 hitting percentage. In all, three CSU Bakersfield players are hitting higher than .300.
- Preseason all-league pick and senior middle blocker Sydney Haynes is averaging 2.18 kills per set, hitting .242 and has 11 block assists.
- An integral part of their offensive scheme is the setter. The Roadrunners run a 6-2 offense with senior Fablana Andrad (5.18 aps) and sophomore Sidney Wicks (5.00 aps). They also both average 2.09 digs per set.
- Defensively, senior libero Emily Lopes averages 5.82 digs per set.
- The Roadrunners are tough up front as well with 28 total blocks this season—17 belong to senior middle blocker Haylee Roberts.
- CSU Bakersfield finished the 2016 season 14-15 overall and 10-4 in the Western Athletic Conference. The Roadrunners were picked to tie for fifth in the 2017 preseason coaches poll.
Valparaiso (1-2)—Valparaiso opened the season 1-2 at the Notre Dame Golden Dome Invitational. After dropping the first two matches to the Irish and New Mexico State, the Crusaders defeated Rhode Island.
- The Crusaders are hitting .110 as a team and are led by Katherine Carlson. The junior outside hitter is averaging 2.82 kills per set and 5.18 digs per set.
- Freshman setter Brittany Anderson averages 8.00 assists per set and 2.82 digs per set.
- Valpo has four players averaging two-or-more digs per set, led by freshman libero Rylee Cookerly with 6.64.
- Senior middle blocker Taylor Graboski averages a team-leading 1.27 blocks per set.
- The Crusaders finished the 2016 season 15-19 overall and 6-10 in the Horizon League. Valpo was picked seventh in the 2017 preseason coaches poll.
Northern Arizona (1-2)—Northern Arizona opened its season with a win over Southern Illinois (2-3) in the Miami Invitational this past weekend. It then dropped matches to Western Kentucky and Miami (Ohio).
- The Lumberjacks are hitting .252 as a team with their offensive attack coming from outside hitter Kaylie Jorgenson. The junior leads the squad in kills per set (3.17) and averages a squad-best 3.92 digs per set.
- Seven other NAU players are hitting higher than .200. Freshman right side hitter Heaven Harris leads the team with a .439 hitting percentage.
- Setter Abby Stomp runs the offense for Northern Arizona, averaging 8.92 set assists per set. The sophomore also averages 2.50 digs per set.
- The Lumberjacks finished the 2016 season 24-8 overall and 12-4 in the Big Sky Conference. Northern Arizona was picked fourth in the 2017 preseason coaches poll.
For more information on the South Dakota State volleyball team, follow the Jackrabbits on Twitter (@GoJacksVB) or like South Dakota State volleyball on Facebook.
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Players Mentioned
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