MATCHES 16 & 17: South Dakota St. (2-13, 0-2); Oral Roberts (5-9, 2-0); Denver (10-3, 1-0) |
      The South Dakota State volleyball team continues its three-match homestand when it hosts Oral Roberts Friday at 7 p.m. and Denver Sunday at 2 p.m. in the friendly confines of Frost Arena.
           The Jackrabbits opened their 11th season of Summit League play last week. They lost 3-0 at Omaha and 3-0 to North Dakota State in Frost.
           Sophomore
Ashlynn Smith led the team averaging 3.50 kills per set and 2.17 dig per set.  Â
           Oral Roberts sits atop the league standings with NDSU with a 2-0 record. The Golden Eagles defeated Fort Wayne (3-1) and Western Illinois (3-1) in Tulsa.
           The defending Summit League champion Denver played just one match last week, defeating Fort Wayne (3-2) at home.
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Mini Volleyball Giveaway
- After Friday's match, the Jackrabbits will provide free mini volleyballs in Frost Arena.
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Setting the Scene
- South Dakota State continues its three-match homestand looking to end a two-match losing streak and win its first Summit League match of the season.
- SDSU is 42-41 at home in Summit League matches since 2007. Its last home league win was a 3-1 upset of Fort Wayne Oct. 30, 2016.
- Friday's match is the 17th match between State and ORU. The Golden Eagles lead the all-time series, 12-4. The Jacks' last win over Oral Roberts was Nov. 11, 2010, when they won in five sets in Frost Arena. SDSU has a five-match losing streak vs. Oral Roberts.
- South Dakota State will have a tall task at home Sunday as the Jackrabbits have an eight-match losing streak vs. Denver. The Pioneers lead the all-time series 8-2. SDSU's last win over Denver was Sept. 16, 1989, when it won 3-0 in the Briar Cliff Invitational in Sioux City, Iowa.
- South Dakota State is in its 52nd season overall and 13th in the Division I era. The Jackrabbits sport an 896-696-8 (.560) all-time record and 175-245 (.416) mark in Division I play.
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A Quick Glance at South Dakota State
- South Dakota State, led by third-year head coach Nicole Cirillo, is hitting .137 as a team and is led offensively by sophomore Makenzie Hennen. The outside hitter is averaging 2.54 kills per set.
- Sophomore outside hitter Ashlynn Smith is averaging 2.33 kills per set.
- Junior Sierra Peterson averages 2.10 kills per set and has a team-high 20 service aces.
- The Jackrabbits have converted to a 6-2 offense with junior Mattison Munger averaging 6.93 set assists and 2.31 digs per set. Freshman Maddie Fay averages 4.34 set assists.
- On defense, the Jackrabbits' lone senior, libero Ellie Benson, tops the squad with 3.76 digs per set.
- The bright spot for South Dakota State has been blocking. The team averages 1.70 blocks per set with junior transfer Payton Richardson leading the squad with 30 total blocks.
- The Jackrabbits return five starters from the 2016 season in Peterson, Hennen, Smith, Munger and Benson. Richardson (1.46 kps, 0.65 bps) and freshman Macy Smith (1.29 kps, 0.69 bps) join the probable starting six this weekend.
- South Dakota State was picked to finish seventh in The Summit League preseason coaches poll.
- 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.
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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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-GoJacks.com-
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