JACKRABBITS FALL TO ORAL ROBERTS

Saturday, March 20

Tulsa, Okla.

5 p.m.

South Dakota State University

6-11,6-10Summit League

Oral Roberts

3-13,3-11Summit League

South Dakota St.

Oral Roberts

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

3/20/2021 9:05:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

TULSA, Okla. - South Dakota State women's volleyball fell in three sets to Oral Roberts in its regular season finale Saturday night.

The Jackrabbits, who finished the season 6-11 and 6-10 in Summit League play, hit .191 while the Golden Eagles finished with a .286 hitting percentage. ORU had the advantage in kills (50-34), assists (44-30) and digs (54-46). State outblocked Oral Roberts 9-7.

Crystal Burk just narrowly missed another double-double with 14 kills and eight digs. Hailee Blau and Akeela Jefferson combined for 11 kills while Blau added five blocks and Jefferson recorded six digs. Anna Nerad finished with four kills while Tatum Pickar had 10 digs. Madison Fay finished her Jackrabbit career with a team-high 15 assists and Jada Barnes recorded nine digs to cap off her collegiate career. Carly Wedel finished with 13 assists.

The Jacks and Golden Eagles split the first six points of the first set until the Jacks broke away with a 5-0 run to take an 8-3 lead and force an ORU timeout. Following the break, ORU scored five of the next six points of the set to trim the SDSU lead to 9-8. Later in the set, consecutive Golden Eagle kills put ORU in front 16-15 and would hold the lead or tie for the remainder of the set. Both teams traded kills late in the set, but ORU would win the first set, 25-22.

Neither team was able to gain separation in the first 12 points of the second set. A 5-0 SDSU run gave the Jacks a 10-6 lead and forced an ORU timeout. After a Barnes service ace coming out of the timeout, the Golden Eagles went on a 6-2 run to get within one (13-12). Another Oral Roberts run, this time 11-3, closed the set as the Golden Eagles defeated the Jacks 25-20 and held a 2-0 advantage in the match.

As SDSU looked to avoid the sweep, the Jacks battled throughout the third set. Leading 16-13 after a Nerad kill, Oral Roberts scored three unanswered to tie the set at 16-all. Three straight ORU kills put the Golden Eagles on top 23-19, but the Jacks wouldn't go down without a fight. A 5-0 run put the Jacks up 24-23, but SDSU couldn't capitalize on the set point as ORU scored the final three points of the set to win, 26-24.

South Dakota State's bye week falls in the last week of regular season play. The Jackrabbits are currently in sixth in the Summit League standings and will not be advancing into the postseason as only the top four teams make it to the Summit League Championship this season.

Game Notes